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

Attributes
ACN	166040
Time
Date	199012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mmj
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
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 : 16000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	166040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3900 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	166506
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X initial departure altitude was 5000' as per the pittsburgh departure procedure. We departed behind a company aircraft going the same direction initially. After contacting departure control we were given heading 180 degree. At approximately 4000' departure cleared us to climb to 14000'. The copilot acknowledged and read back the climb clearance to departure control. At approximately 4500' altitude we broke out on top of a relatively thin cloud layer and were in VMC there after. At that time I saw air carrier Y inbound at what I presummed to be at 6000' (right to left). The traffic was not dangerously close, but I remember at the time I thought it was unusual that departure had cleared us to 14000'. We were now climbing out of 6500' and departure came on and said 'air carrier X confirm level at 5000'.' (we had the traffic in sight and there was not a conflict). We responded (copilot) by saying 'negative', climbing through 6500' for 14000' as previously cleared.' the controllers response was that he had intended to climb the aircraft ahead of us and mistakenly gave our flight identify. He then cleared us to 9000' and then later to 14000'. As I see it, this was a human error that could easily take place. I believe this is the type of situation that TCAS will help make more safe. This particular aircraft was not yet TCAS equipped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X INITIAL DEP ALT WAS 5000' AS PER THE PITTSBURGH DEP PROC. WE DEPARTED BEHIND A COMPANY ACFT GOING THE SAME DIRECTION INITIALLY. AFTER CONTACTING DEP CTL WE WERE GIVEN HDG 180 DEG. AT APPROX 4000' DEP CLRED US TO CLB TO 14000'. THE COPLT ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ BACK THE CLB CLRNC TO DEP CTL. AT APPROX 4500' ALT WE BROKE OUT ON TOP OF A RELATIVELY THIN CLOUD LAYER AND WERE IN VMC THERE AFTER. AT THAT TIME I SAW ACR Y INBND AT WHAT I PRESUMMED TO BE AT 6000' (R TO L). THE TFC WAS NOT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE, BUT I REMEMBER AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS UNUSUAL THAT DEP HAD CLRED US TO 14000'. WE WERE NOW CLBING OUT OF 6500' AND DEP CAME ON AND SAID 'ACR X CONFIRM LEVEL AT 5000'.' (WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND THERE WAS NOT A CONFLICT). WE RESPONDED (COPLT) BY SAYING 'NEGATIVE', CLBING THROUGH 6500' FOR 14000' AS PREVIOUSLY CLRED.' THE CTLRS RESPONSE WAS THAT HE HAD INTENDED TO CLB THE ACFT AHEAD OF US AND MISTAKENLY GAVE OUR FLT IDENT. HE THEN CLRED US TO 9000' AND THEN LATER TO 14000'. AS I SEE IT, THIS WAS A HUMAN ERROR THAT COULD EASILY TAKE PLACE. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE TYPE OF SITUATION THAT TCAS WILL HELP MAKE MORE SAFE. THIS PARTICULAR ACFT WAS NOT YET TCAS EQUIPPED.

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.