Close proximity 2 air carrier aircraft approaching atlantic gateways south of yqx at night.

Attributes
ACN	164607
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yqx
State Reference	NF
Altitude	msl bound lower : 22500 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czqx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
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 : atlantic enroute : direct enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 460 flight time total : 21000 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	164607
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	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error other

Narrative:

Air carrier Z crossing from right rear at same assigned--see enclosed narratives! (I was in cabin on rest break when incident occurred.) callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the amended clearance turn was made at the normal rate, but initial descent could have been perhaps less than expected. Reporter said it was difficult to judge traffic spacing, but the flight crew in the cockpit were wide-eyed after the incident, and said they saw the other aircraft's cabin lights as it passed right to left. Our position was prior to color. After we had started our descent, gander again queried if we were descending. Again, we replied affirmative. Our heading was approximately 125 degrees. Gander then instructed us to turn left to a heading of 070 degrees for vectors. I saw the other aircraft at the 2 O'clock position, high, on a collision course. I disengaged the autoplt and increased the rate of descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 ACR ACFT APCHING ATLANTIC GATEWAYS SOUTH OF YQX AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ACR Z XING FROM RIGHT REAR AT SAME ASSIGNED--SEE ENCLOSED NARRATIVES! (I WAS IN CABIN ON REST BREAK WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED.) CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE AMENDED CLRNC TURN WAS MADE AT THE NORMAL RATE, BUT INITIAL DSNT COULD HAVE BEEN PERHAPS LESS THAN EXPECTED. RPTR SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT TO JUDGE TFC SPACING, BUT THE FLT CREW IN THE COCKPIT WERE WIDE-EYED AFTER THE INCIDENT, AND SAID THEY SAW THE OTHER ACFT'S CABIN LIGHTS AS IT PASSED RIGHT TO LEFT. OUR POS WAS PRIOR TO COLOR. AFTER WE HAD STARTED OUR DSNT, GANDER AGAIN QUERIED IF WE WERE DSNDING. AGAIN, WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. OUR HDG WAS APPROX 125 DEGS. GANDER THEN INSTRUCTED US TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 070 DEGS FOR VECTORS. I SAW THE OTHER ACFT AT THE 2 O'CLOCK POS, HIGH, ON A COLLISION COURSE. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND INCREASED THE RATE OF DSNT.

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.