Narrative:

At FL350, ZMP cleared us from vicinity of sioux narrows direct to dupree. At approximately 7-8 min before incident, center inquired when we'd be able to climb to FL390, but no clearance was issued. Approximately 1 1/2 min before incident a different and very weak/scratchy transmission was made to us to climb immediately to FL370 for an emergency. We acknowledged, started a climb and were given a frequency change. On new frequency, traffic was called out to us at 1-2 O'clock and FL350. Don't remember what distance was called if any, but looked out to see a widebody transport Y pass directly under us (probably on airway in vicinity). In about about 5 seconds we were climbing at maximum rate and had been since the emergency call and were passing 36,200 at the merge. We asked and received clearance to continue climb to FL390 and asked center about problem. They said they didn't blame us for our expression of concern and that they had 'lost their frequency a ways back there'. We continued to descend without further incident. I felt that even with the maximum 'look out' that we used after the emergency call that there was no time to maneuver after the traffic was called out to us. Our abrupt maximum climb saved a dual wide-body midair. I also feel that the acceptance of or use of a nondirectional cruise altitude by widebody transport Y contributed after the 'mechanical' radio failure of the ATC system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 ACR WDB ACFT OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT FL350 AND FL362.

Narrative: AT FL350, ZMP CLRED US FROM VICINITY OF SIOUX NARROWS DIRECT TO DUPREE. AT APPROX 7-8 MIN BEFORE INCIDENT, CENTER INQUIRED WHEN WE'D BE ABLE TO CLIMB TO FL390, BUT NO CLRNC WAS ISSUED. APPROX 1 1/2 MIN BEFORE INCIDENT A DIFFERENT AND VERY WEAK/SCRATCHY XMISSION WAS MADE TO US TO CLIMB IMMEDIATELY TO FL370 FOR AN EMER. WE ACKNOWLEDGED, STARTED A CLIMB AND WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. ON NEW FREQ, TFC WAS CALLED OUT TO US AT 1-2 O'CLOCK AND FL350. DON'T REMEMBER WHAT DISTANCE WAS CALLED IF ANY, BUT LOOKED OUT TO SEE A WDB Y PASS DIRECTLY UNDER US (PROBABLY ON AIRWAY IN VICINITY). IN ABOUT ABOUT 5 SECONDS WE WERE CLIMBING AT MAX RATE AND HAD BEEN SINCE THE EMER CALL AND WERE PASSING 36,200 AT THE MERGE. WE ASKED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO CONTINUE CLIMB TO FL390 AND ASKED CENTER ABOUT PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T BLAME US FOR OUR EXPRESSION OF CONCERN AND THAT THEY HAD 'LOST THEIR FREQ A WAYS BACK THERE'. WE CONTINUED TO DSND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I FELT THAT EVEN WITH THE MAX 'LOOK OUT' THAT WE USED AFTER THE EMER CALL THAT THERE WAS NO TIME TO MANEUVER AFTER THE TFC WAS CALLED OUT TO US. OUR ABRUPT MAX CLIMB SAVED A DUAL WIDE-BODY MIDAIR. I ALSO FEEL THAT THE ACCEPTANCE OF OR USE OF A NONDIRECTIONAL CRUISE ALT BY WDB Y CONTRIBUTED AFTER THE 'MECHANICAL' RADIO FAILURE OF THE ATC SYSTEM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.