A B737 crew at 15;000 ft on a departure reported responding to a TCAS RA from an aircraft descending...

Attributes
ACN	888200
Time
Date	201005
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Miss Distance	Vertical 400

Narrative:

While level at 15;000 ft center gave us a traffic alert (12 o'clock descending to 16;000 ft). I told them we were IMC. We saw the traffic on the TCAS; then got an RA descend; we noticed the aircraft was descending through our altitude and complied with the RA and descended to around 14000 ft and came within 400 ft of the traffic directly over head of us. I tried to call center but it was busy and could not get a reply; then finally got through and let them know we descended on a RA and returning to our assigned altitude of 15000 ft. I ask why that aircraft descended through our altitude and the controller replied that that aircraft was on a STAR and didn't know why but would look into it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 crew at 15;000 FT on a departure reported responding to a TCAS RA from an aircraft descending on a STAR to an airport different from their departure airport.

Narrative: While level at 15;000 FT Center gave us a traffic alert (12 o'clock descending to 16;000 FT). I told them we were IMC. We saw the traffic on the TCAS; then got an RA descend; we noticed the aircraft was descending through our altitude and complied with the RA and descended to around 14000 FT and came within 400 FT of the traffic directly over head of us. I tried to call Center but it was busy and could not get a reply; then finally got through and let them know we descended on a RA and returning to our assigned altitude of 15000 FT. I ask why that aircraft descended through our altitude and the Controller replied that that aircraft was on a STAR and didn't know why but would look into it.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A B737 crew at 15;000 ft on a departure reported responding to a TCAS RA from an aircraft descending on a STAR to an airport different from their departure airport.