Narrative:

Air carrier X was swbound on B474 approaching auddi intersection at FL310. Air carrier Y was nebound on B474 at FL330. Air carrier X was cleared to FL350 prior to air carrier Y passing. Air carrier X observed air carrier Y and leveled off at FL320 until traffic had passed. Air carrier X inquired as to the traffic and was advised air carrier Y was opposite direction at FL330, and after obtaining position reports on both aircraft over auddi intersection, air carrier X was reclred to maintain FL350. Traffic level and complexity were moderate and training was being conducted at the sector. In my opinion, the main factor in the error was failure to recognize the situation existing of opposite direction traffic in that close of proximity. The air carrier X pilot and crew avoided a further loss of separation by leveling off at FL320. This prevented an even more severe situation. Supplemental information from acn 183128: air carrier Y at FL330. Syd- hnl vicinity of 10N 169W viewing radar screen with operating TCASII system in TA RA position 40 mi range noticed traffic 12 O'clock position 1800 below. I immediately turned on aircraft lights continued viewing, now 1700 ft below going to 1600 below our altitude. Saw air carrier X lights ahead. I made right turn 25 degree bank, then received TCAS warning and saw other aircraft going by left side. Contacted air carrier X on 128.95, pilot said he had been cleared to FL350 from oakland center saw us and leveled off at 320. Air carrier Y upon arrival in hnl, contacted oakland center, supervisor advised training was in progress with a controller and that an error had been made. Looking back at this incident: if I had no TCAS equipment and not turned on my lights and made right turn, 2 widebody transport's may well have made impact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: ACR X WAS SWBOUND ON B474 APCHING AUDDI INTXN AT FL310. ACR Y WAS NEBOUND ON B474 AT FL330. ACR X WAS CLRED TO FL350 PRIOR TO ACR Y PASSING. ACR X OBSERVED ACR Y AND LEVELED OFF AT FL320 UNTIL TFC HAD PASSED. ACR X INQUIRED AS TO THE TFC AND WAS ADVISED ACR Y WAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT FL330, AND AFTER OBTAINING POS RPTS ON BOTH ACFT OVER AUDDI INTXN, ACR X WAS RECLRED TO MAINTAIN FL350. TFC LEVEL AND COMPLEXITY WERE MODERATE AND TRAINING WAS BEING CONDUCTED AT THE SECTOR. IN MY OPINION, THE MAIN FACTOR IN THE ERROR WAS FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THE SITUATION EXISTING OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC IN THAT CLOSE OF PROX. THE ACR X PLT AND CREW AVOIDED A FURTHER LOSS OF SEPARATION BY LEVELING OFF AT FL320. THIS PREVENTED AN EVEN MORE SEVERE SITUATION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 183128: ACR Y AT FL330. SYD- HNL VICINITY OF 10N 169W VIEWING RADAR SCREEN WITH OPERATING TCASII SYS IN TA RA POS 40 MI RANGE NOTICED TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS 1800 BELOW. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON ACFT LIGHTS CONTINUED VIEWING, NOW 1700 FT BELOW GOING TO 1600 BELOW OUR ALT. SAW ACR X LIGHTS AHEAD. I MADE R TURN 25 DEG BANK, THEN RECEIVED TCAS WARNING AND SAW OTHER ACFT GOING BY L SIDE. CONTACTED ACR X ON 128.95, PLT SAID HE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL350 FROM OAKLAND CENTER SAW US AND LEVELED OFF AT 320. ACR Y UPON ARR IN HNL, CONTACTED OAKLAND CENTER, SUPVR ADVISED TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS WITH A CTLR AND THAT AN ERROR HAD BEEN MADE. LOOKING BACK AT THIS INCIDENT: IF I HAD NO TCAS EQUIP AND NOT TURNED ON MY LIGHTS AND MADE R TURN, 2 WDB'S MAY WELL HAVE MADE IMPACT.

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.