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

Attributes
ACN	178929
Time
Date	199105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	178929
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Air carrier X, ilm to bwi, level at 7000 ft MSL after ott 2 STAR on rv from washington approach, were told to descend to 5000 ft, expedite through 6000 ft. About 5-10 seconds later, told us to turn 'immediately' to 320 degree (from approximately 040 as I remember) for traffic. I (first officer) was flying, acquired aircraft Y visually before captain at about 11-11:30 O'clock position, and realizing left turn into aircraft Y would/might cause conflict. Told approach we didn't like that heading and simultaneously hard manual evasive turn to right continuing expedited descent to 5000' keeping traffic in sight visually off aft side. Other traffic had us visually also, I believe, since he was turning to right also. Approach came back on and told us to turn to 090 degree, after conflict over. Captain inquired of approach later on ground what happened and was told there was a missed, or uncoordinated handoff between controllers. Also told that other aircraft Y had an FAA administrator on board. This would have been a good scenario for TCAS, unfortunately we didn't have one aboard on this flight. Suggestion - pilots: always heads up. Coplts: don't worry about what the captain might say in an unsafe situation, take reasonable action and talk about it on the ground. Controllers: make sure handoffs are completed and when a conflict should occur, heading/action to ensure separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LTSS FROM ACFT Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X, ILM TO BWI, LEVEL AT 7000 FT MSL AFTER OTT 2 STAR ON RV FROM WASHINGTON APCH, WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 5000 FT, EXPEDITE THROUGH 6000 FT. ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS LATER, TOLD US TO TURN 'IMMEDIATELY' TO 320 DEG (FROM APPROX 040 AS I REMEMBER) FOR TFC. I (FO) WAS FLYING, ACQUIRED ACFT Y VISUALLY BEFORE CAPT AT ABOUT 11-11:30 O'CLOCK POS, AND REALIZING L TURN INTO ACFT Y WOULD/MIGHT CAUSE CONFLICT. TOLD APCH WE DIDN'T LIKE THAT HDG AND SIMULTANEOUSLY HARD MANUAL EVASIVE TURN TO R CONTINUING EXPEDITED DSCNT TO 5000' KEEPING TFC IN SIGHT VISUALLY OFF AFT SIDE. OTHER TFC HAD US VISUALLY ALSO, I BELIEVE, SINCE HE WAS TURNING TO R ALSO. APCH CAME BACK ON AND TOLD US TO TURN TO 090 DEG, AFTER CONFLICT OVER. CAPT INQUIRED OF APCH LATER ON GND WHAT HAPPENED AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A MISSED, OR UNCOORDINATED HDOF BTWN CTLRS. ALSO TOLD THAT OTHER ACFT Y HAD AN FAA ADMINISTRATOR ON BOARD. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD SCENARIO FOR TCAS, UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE ABOARD ON THIS FLT. SUGGESTION - PLTS: ALWAYS HEADS UP. COPLTS: DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE CAPT MIGHT SAY IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION, TAKE REASONABLE ACTION AND TALK ABOUT IT ON THE GND. CTLRS: MAKE SURE HDOFS ARE COMPLETED AND WHEN A CONFLICT SHOULD OCCUR, HDG/ACTION TO ENSURE SEPARATION.

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.