Narrative:

Departed from tonopah test range on an IFR clearance to climb to 15000' direct to the tph VOR, destination, nellis AFB (departed at xa:20 local). Flight plan was to proceed direct to tph VOR, 206 degree right to tezum intersection, J92 to bty VOR, direct to lsv. After climbing to 15000' in approximately 5 mins, we crossed tph VOR and turned left to intercept the 206 degree right outbnd to tezum. After another 3 mins approximately, I switched over from tph departure to ZOA, and with radio contact, requested a climb to higher altitude. He (controller) asked my location, which I stated as 206 degree right 11 DME tph. He then asked if I could be at or above 17000' before 30 DME, which I could do with no problem. I was then cleared to climb to FL230, and I started my climb immediately. I was aware of the presence of a military aircraft approaching from the opp direction, but could not pinpoint his exact location by memory, he was at 16000' altitude. Mdw through my climb the trouble started, the controller asked if I could be above 17000' by 3 DME, which I interpreted to mean as my position in relation to tph VOR; i.e., to be within 3 DME of the VOR by 17000', and I stated, 'negative, I am already at 16 DME.' he then told me to maintain 15000'. By this time, I was at approximately 16800', so I stated my altitude and asked him if he wanted me to descend back down to 15000'. He stated, 'affirmative.' meantime, the other aircraft made visibility contact with us and saw that we were slowly descending through his altitude, and he immediately requested lower altitude, but the controller denied his request. Seconds later he took evasive action and descended to 15500'. Passing approximately 16200', I saw him (mlt) passing below and slightly to my left. The controller questioned my actions and I gave him a piece of my mind in a polite manner, to which he replied, 'no harm done, no action to be taken from my end.' later I was cleared to FL230 and proceeded west/O further incident. Subsequent investigation that the radar coverage in that area is maintained by a substandard 2 system type which had failed to switch when the first system failed. Also, it seems that this area is noted for near misses frequently, and is known by pilots as 'coffin's corner.' frequently, the WX is totally IFR and this adds to the problem.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLIMBED LGT X TO A HIGHER ALT WHICH RESULTED IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: DEPARTED FROM TONOPAH TEST RANGE ON AN IFR CLRNC TO CLB TO 15000' DIRECT TO THE TPH VOR, DEST, NELLIS AFB (DEPARTED AT XA:20 LCL). FLT PLAN WAS TO PROCEED DIRECT TO TPH VOR, 206 DEG R TO TEZUM INTXN, J92 TO BTY VOR, DIRECT TO LSV. AFTER CLBING TO 15000' IN APPROX 5 MINS, WE CROSSED TPH VOR AND TURNED LEFT TO INTERCEPT THE 206 DEG R OUTBND TO TEZUM. AFTER ANOTHER 3 MINS APPROX, I SWITCHED OVER FROM TPH DEP TO ZOA, AND WITH RADIO CONTACT, REQUESTED A CLB TO HIGHER ALT. HE (CTLR) ASKED MY LOCATION, WHICH I STATED AS 206 DEG R 11 DME TPH. HE THEN ASKED IF I COULD BE AT OR ABOVE 17000' BEFORE 30 DME, WHICH I COULD DO WITH NO PROB. I WAS THEN CLRED TO CLB TO FL230, AND I STARTED MY CLB IMMEDIATELY. I WAS AWARE OF THE PRESENCE OF A MIL ACFT APCHING FROM THE OPP DIRECTION, BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT HIS EXACT LOCATION BY MEMORY, HE WAS AT 16000' ALT. MDW THROUGH MY CLB THE TROUBLE STARTED, THE CTLR ASKED IF I COULD BE ABOVE 17000' BY 3 DME, WHICH I INTERPRETED TO MEAN AS MY POS IN RELATION TO TPH VOR; I.E., TO BE WITHIN 3 DME OF THE VOR BY 17000', AND I STATED, 'NEGATIVE, I AM ALREADY AT 16 DME.' HE THEN TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN 15000'. BY THIS TIME, I WAS AT APPROX 16800', SO I STATED MY ALT AND ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED ME TO DSND BACK DOWN TO 15000'. HE STATED, 'AFFIRMATIVE.' MEANTIME, THE OTHER ACFT MADE VIS CONTACT WITH US AND SAW THAT WE WERE SLOWLY DSNDING THROUGH HIS ALT, AND HE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED LOWER ALT, BUT THE CTLR DENIED HIS REQUEST. SECS LATER HE TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND DSNDED TO 15500'. PASSING APPROX 16200', I SAW HIM (MLT) PASSING BELOW AND SLIGHTLY TO MY LEFT. THE CTLR QUESTIONED MY ACTIONS AND I GAVE HIM A PIECE OF MY MIND IN A POLITE MANNER, TO WHICH HE REPLIED, 'NO HARM DONE, NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN FROM MY END.' LATER I WAS CLRED TO FL230 AND PROCEEDED W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION THAT THE RADAR COVERAGE IN THAT AREA IS MAINTAINED BY A SUBSTANDARD 2 SYS TYPE WHICH HAD FAILED TO SWITCH WHEN THE FIRST SYS FAILED. ALSO, IT SEEMS THAT THIS AREA IS NOTED FOR NEAR MISSES FREQUENTLY, AND IS KNOWN BY PLTS AS 'COFFIN'S CORNER.' FREQUENTLY, THE WX IS TOTALLY IFR AND THIS ADDS TO THE PROB.

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.