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B757-200 at FL360 with ZME experienced TCAS RA with unreported traffic; ATC conflicting traffic failed to descend.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 804698 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200809 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : rqz.vortac |
| State Reference | AL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zme.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Citation Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| 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 : 202 flight time total : 9100 flight time type : 2576 |
| ASRS Report | 804698 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 700 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was the pilot monitoring on flight abc atl-ZZZ. Our position was just northwest (maybe 10 mi or so) of rqz VOR (huntsville; al) on the way to jks VOR (lexington-parsons; tn) at FL360. Immediately after reaching cruise; I began an informative PA to our passenger when we received a TA from our TCAS. I immediately stopped the PA and looked at the display. The yellow target was at our approximately 11: 30 O'clock position and closing at our altitude. I then attempted to obtain visual contact with the aircraft. As soon as I looked out the cockpit window; the TA changed to an RA and commanded 'climb...climb.' I looked at the ivsi and it commanded approximately 1200 FPM climb. The captain immediately and positively started a climb that put the rate of climb in the green band on the ivsi. I advised ZME that we had an RA and that we were climbing. We climbed to FL370 when the TCAS said 'clear of conflict.' I looked at the display and it said 'TA behind.' I never saw the other aircraft. The captain said he did see it before it went under us. I then informed ATC that we were returning to FL360. ZME responded that the traffic was a cessna citation under atlanta ARTCC control that failed to descend when told. Why these 2 ARTCC's let these 2 airplanes get this close without warning; I do not understand. The TCAS system worked as advertised.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B757-200 AT FL360 WITH ZME EXPERIENCED TCAS RA WITH UNREPORTED TFC; ATC CONFLICTING TFC FAILED TO DESCEND.
Narrative: I WAS THE PLT MONITORING ON FLT ABC ATL-ZZZ. OUR POS WAS JUST NW (MAYBE 10 MI OR SO) OF RQZ VOR (HUNTSVILLE; AL) ON THE WAY TO JKS VOR (LEXINGTON-PARSONS; TN) AT FL360. IMMEDIATELY AFTER REACHING CRUISE; I BEGAN AN INFORMATIVE PA TO OUR PAX WHEN WE RECEIVED A TA FROM OUR TCAS. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE PA AND LOOKED AT THE DISPLAY. THE YELLOW TARGET WAS AT OUR APPROX 11: 30 O'CLOCK POS AND CLOSING AT OUR ALT. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. AS SOON AS I LOOKED OUT THE COCKPIT WINDOW; THE TA CHANGED TO AN RA AND COMMANDED 'CLB...CLB.' I LOOKED AT THE IVSI AND IT COMMANDED APPROX 1200 FPM CLB. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY AND POSITIVELY STARTED A CLB THAT PUT THE RATE OF CLB IN THE GREEN BAND ON THE IVSI. I ADVISED ZME THAT WE HAD AN RA AND THAT WE WERE CLBING. WE CLBED TO FL370 WHEN THE TCAS SAID 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' I LOOKED AT THE DISPLAY AND IT SAID 'TA BEHIND.' I NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT. THE CAPT SAID HE DID SEE IT BEFORE IT WENT UNDER US. I THEN INFORMED ATC THAT WE WERE RETURNING TO FL360. ZME RESPONDED THAT THE TFC WAS A CESSNA CITATION UNDER ATLANTA ARTCC CTL THAT FAILED TO DSND WHEN TOLD. WHY THESE 2 ARTCC'S LET THESE 2 AIRPLANES GET THIS CLOSE WITHOUT WARNING; I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. THE TCAS SYS WORKED AS ADVERTISED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.