Less than standard separation at FL310 in foreign airspace.

Attributes
ACN	161078
Time
Date	199010
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hlf
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
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 airway : w726
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
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 total : 8000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	161078
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

As my aircraft passed over hlf VOR at FL310 and made position report, we heard another aircraft report the same position at the sam flight level. We were westbound on 2726 and other aircraft was on a direct leg approaching 45 degrees from left. We noticed other aircraft at our 8 O'clock position, less than 1/4 mi. No evasive action necessary or taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION AT FL310 IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AS MY ACFT PASSED OVER HLF VOR AT FL310 AND MADE POS RPT, WE HEARD ANOTHER ACFT RPT THE SAME POS AT THE SAM FLT LEVEL. WE WERE WBND ON 2726 AND OTHER ACFT WAS ON A DIRECT LEG APCHING 45 DEGS FROM LEFT. WE NOTICED OTHER ACFT AT OUR 8 O'CLOCK POS, LESS THAN 1/4 MI. NO EVASIVE ACTION NECESSARY OR TAKEN.

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.