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

Attributes
ACN	154775
Time
Date	199008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mt
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 39000 msl bound upper : 39000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czul
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 20000
ASRS Report	154775
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier X from ory-atl at FL390, level for several mins, climbed at controller request. Air carrier Y crossed in front of us from left to right at same flight level, approximately 30 degrees right of our course. Don't think he saw us because he was approaching from our left to pass in front and took no action. We got a slight jolt from his wake. Asked controller if he had a widebody transport in our area, he said yes at FL350. I called again and said the traffic was at FL390. Controller paused and said 'roger.' nothing else was said. We (crew) surmised from controller's tone that controller had made an error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X FROM ORY-ATL AT FL390, LEVEL FOR SEVERAL MINS, CLBED AT CTLR REQUEST. ACR Y CROSSED IN FRONT OF US FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AT SAME FLT LEVEL, APPROX 30 DEGS RIGHT OF OUR COURSE. DON'T THINK HE SAW US BECAUSE HE WAS APCHING FROM OUR LEFT TO PASS IN FRONT AND TOOK NO ACTION. WE GOT A SLIGHT JOLT FROM HIS WAKE. ASKED CTLR IF HE HAD A WDB IN OUR AREA, HE SAID YES AT FL350. I CALLED AGAIN AND SAID THE TFC WAS AT FL390. CTLR PAUSED AND SAID 'ROGER.' NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID. WE (CREW) SURMISED FROM CTLR'S TONE THAT CTLR HAD MADE AN ERROR.

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.