Air carrier X had less than standard separation from aircraft Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	148829
Time
Date	199006
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : chs
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	148829
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 7500
ASRS Report	148804
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Controller very busy gave air carrier X climb to FL310. Shortly thereafter, he instructed us to climb to FL330 and do expedite or hurry it up. I initiated maximum climb and was then given a turn for traffic. At 32700' the controller stated air carrier X descend immediately to FL310 and report level. I complied and we saw traffic pass to our right about 3 mi horizontally and unknown distance vertically. I believe the controller may have been over tasked, that he gave us FL330 in error and that he was slow to respond to the error. By having us expedite our climb we were in an unusually nose high attitude which further endangered our attendants and passengers when we were told to descend immediately to FL310. Supplemental information from acn 148804. Air carrier X en route from pit to atl was on climb to FL330. At FL300, ZID told air carrier X to expedite to FL330. When aircraft was at FL32.7 the same controller radioed air carrier X 'descend immediately to FL310 and report level. Action was taken immediately by the crew and we reported to ATC when level. Conflicting traffic passed above and to our right. Supplemental information from acn 148827. While climbing through FL310, we were told to expedite our climb to FL330 by ZID. At 32700' center called and told us to immediately descend to FL310. The pilots immediately nosed the aircraft over and started a descent to FL310. As air carrier X began leveling off at FL310, we noticed passing traffic off our right wing. The controller appeared to be overly saturated with traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACFT Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: CTLR VERY BUSY GAVE ACR X CLB TO FL310. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE INSTRUCTED US TO CLB TO FL330 AND DO EXPEDITE OR HURRY IT UP. I INITIATED MAX CLB AND WAS THEN GIVEN A TURN FOR TFC. AT 32700' THE CTLR STATED ACR X DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL310 AND RPT LEVEL. I COMPLIED AND WE SAW TFC PASS TO OUR R ABOUT 3 MI HORIZLY AND UNKNOWN DISTANCE VERTICALLY. I BELIEVE THE CTLR MAY HAVE BEEN OVER TASKED, THAT HE GAVE US FL330 IN ERROR AND THAT HE WAS SLOW TO RESPOND TO THE ERROR. BY HAVING US EXPEDITE OUR CLB WE WERE IN AN UNUSUALLY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHICH FURTHER ENDANGERED OUR ATTENDANTS AND PAXS WHEN WE WERE TOLD TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL310. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 148804. ACR X ENRTE FROM PIT TO ATL WAS ON CLB TO FL330. AT FL300, ZID TOLD ACR X TO EXPEDITE TO FL330. WHEN ACFT WAS AT FL32.7 THE SAME CTLR RADIOED ACR X 'DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL310 AND RPT LEVEL. ACTION WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY BY THE CREW AND WE RPTED TO ATC WHEN LEVEL. CONFLICTING TFC PASSED ABOVE AND TO OUR R. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 148827. WHILE CLBING THROUGH FL310, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPEDITE OUR CLB TO FL330 BY ZID. AT 32700' CTR CALLED AND TOLD US TO IMMEDIATELY DSND TO FL310. THE PLTS IMMEDIATELY NOSED THE ACFT OVER AND STARTED A DSNT TO FL310. AS ACR X BEGAN LEVELING OFF AT FL310, WE NOTICED PASSING TFC OFF OUR R WING. THE CTLR APPEARED TO BE OVERLY SATURATED WITH TFC.

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