Flight crew of B737-800 receives TCASII RA. ZTL radar controller gives vector for traffic nearly concurrently. First officer assumes aircraft control when captain does not respond to RA guidance.

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Attributes
ACN	625569
Time
Date	200407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : jan.vortac
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	625569
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 8000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While in level cruise at FL330 and cleared direct to jan, we received a TCASII TA. The threat aircraft was initially 1000 ft below climbing and about 3 mi left and ahead. The TA then changed to an RA calling for a descent. At the same time, ATC directed a 30 degree right turn for traffic. The captain (PF) turned the heading knob, but did not follow the TCASII command. I stated twice that we needed to descend to comply with the RA, but still he did not respond. I then disconnected the autoplt and followed the guidance. Shortly after and about 400 ft below our assigned altitude, TCASII stated 'clear of conflict.' ATC then gave us further right turn to 90 degrees off course. We told him we had an RA and were complying. A short time later, he cleared us direct to jan again, and apologized, saying he would coordination with ZME to find out what happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737-800 RECEIVES TCASII RA. ZTL RADAR CTLR GIVES VECTOR FOR TFC NEARLY CONCURRENTLY. FO ASSUMES ACFT CTL WHEN CAPT DOES NOT RESPOND TO RA GUIDANCE.

Narrative: WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE AT FL330 AND CLRED DIRECT TO JAN, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA. THE THREAT ACFT WAS INITIALLY 1000 FT BELOW CLBING AND ABOUT 3 MI L AND AHEAD. THE TA THEN CHANGED TO AN RA CALLING FOR A DSCNT. AT THE SAME TIME, ATC DIRECTED A 30 DEG R TURN FOR TFC. THE CAPT (PF) TURNED THE HDG KNOB, BUT DID NOT FOLLOW THE TCASII COMMAND. I STATED TWICE THAT WE NEEDED TO DSND TO COMPLY WITH THE RA, BUT STILL HE DID NOT RESPOND. I THEN DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND FOLLOWED THE GUIDANCE. SHORTLY AFTER AND ABOUT 400 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT, TCASII STATED 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' ATC THEN GAVE US FURTHER R TURN TO 90 DEGS OFF COURSE. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD AN RA AND WERE COMPLYING. A SHORT TIME LATER, HE CLRED US DIRECT TO JAN AGAIN, AND APOLOGIZED, SAYING HE WOULD COORD WITH ZME TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.