A government report shows that pilots ignore instructions from the computer-controlled Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System aboard commercial airliners about once every 10 times it is engaged.
The report, released Wednesday, came after two Japan Airlines jets narrowly avoided a midair collision on Jan. 31 as a result of a decision by the captain of one of the two aircraft to continue descending, as ordered, despite the TCAS instructing him to climb.
The report is based on data provided by captains of Japanese airlines in 1999 about their responses to TCAS commands.