Two center controllers and a challenger captain describe events leading up to a TCAS RA at FL350.

Attributes
ACN	1011909
Time
Date	201205
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZID.ARTCC
State Reference	IN
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Challenger Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75 Flight Crew Total 12500 Flight Crew Type 800
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Miss Distance	Horizontal 12000 Vertical 1000

Narrative:

I worked aircraft X and climbed him to FL340 and handed him off to sector 97. Sector 97 climbed the aircraft to FL360. This was a CL60 and I had done the math and this aircraft would be out of my airspace before my boundary; therefore I did not point the aircraft out to sector 78. I then noticed a limited data block at FL350 that was head on with aircraft X. I then called sector 97 to make sure they see that traffic; and sector 97 said they were not talking to aircraft X; and that they switched the aircraft to sector 98. I then called sector 98 and told the radar controller that if he needed to stop the aircraft at FL340 this was approved with ape. I then pointed out the aircraft to sector 78 stopping at FL340. Aircraft X kept climbing through FL340; I then call sector 98 again and asked him if he was talking to aircraft X; and he was not sure. I believe the radar controller at sector 98 thought I was talking to aircraft X and that I was stopping him at FL340. Aircraft Y was at FL350; and sector 97 turned and climbed this aircraft; but there was a TCAS event as well. I saw the limited data block and saw the traffic and was trying; above and beyond to make sure the sectors around me saw the traffic as well. There was confusion in our communication; and sector 98 did not know he was talking to the aircraft. I believe that this event could have been stopped if sector 97 had done the point out with sector 78 before switching the aircraft to sector 98.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Two Center Controllers and a Challenger Captain describe events leading up to a TCAS RA at FL350.

Narrative: I worked Aircraft X and climbed him to FL340 and handed him off to Sector 97. Sector 97 climbed the aircraft to FL360. This was a CL60 and I had done the math and this aircraft would be out of my airspace before my boundary; therefore I did not point the aircraft out to Sector 78. I then noticed a limited data block at FL350 that was head on with Aircraft X. I then called Sector 97 to make sure they see that traffic; and Sector 97 said they were not talking to Aircraft X; and that they switched the aircraft to Sector 98. I then called Sector 98 and told the Radar Controller that if he needed to stop the aircraft at FL340 this was approved with APE. I then pointed out the aircraft to Sector 78 stopping at FL340. Aircraft X kept climbing through FL340; I then call Sector 98 again and asked him if he was talking to Aircraft X; and he was not sure. I believe the Radar Controller at Sector 98 thought I was talking to Aircraft X and that I was stopping him at FL340. Aircraft Y was at FL350; and Sector 97 turned and climbed this aircraft; but there was a TCAS event as well. I saw the limited data block and saw the traffic and was trying; above and beyond to make sure the sectors around me saw the traffic as well. There was confusion in our communication; and Sector 98 did not know he was talking to the aircraft. I believe that this event could have been stopped if Sector 97 had done the point out with Sector 78 before switching the aircraft to Sector 98.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.