Potential conflict.

Attributes
ACN	219752
Time
Date	199208
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
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 cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 840
ASRS Report	219752
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	220264
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

As we proceeded northbound on J-121 toward sie, northeast, 114.8, at FL290 at 250 KTS, our radar showed some WX ahead in the vicinity of sie. This was visually confirmed. To get around the upwind side of the WX we requested deviation to the west, but ATC advised deviation east instead, so we flew on the eward side of the WX. When we were approximately abeam sie to the east, heading approximately 050 degrees ATC asked if we could come to a 300 degree heading. The captain replied 'I'd rather continue straight ahead.' (we were VMC in smooth air beneath the overhang). ATC responded 'continue straight ahead.' shortly afterward, we were assigned a descent to FL280, we got a TCASII RA that commanded a green area descent at 2000 FPM. We increased our rate of descent from 1500 to 2000 FPM, then leveled at FL270. The center controller spoke to us at this time, saying, 'callsign, I see you're level FL270.' we responded, 'yes, FL270.' off to the left about 3 NM, at about 10 O'clock, I saw an airliner on an opposing heading in a clockwise turn away from our position. That aircraft apparently made the radio transmission heard subsequently that indicated that it's pilot had received a TCASII advisory. Ny center asked if we had been instructed to hold at sie. We replied that we had not. Center then vectored us, basically, on a right 360 degree turn and descent on the camry arrival to jfk. Before we left ny ATC frequency, the controller thanked us for our compliance. No other comments were addressed to us, and the rest of the flight was uneventful. Opinion regarding what caused the problem: it appears that ATC temporarily lost track of our position and/or altitude and allowed us to fly in the vicinity of the other aircraft. Other: TCASII works! Supplemental information from acn 220264. Passing FL280 in descent we got a RA on the TCASII to increase descent to 2000 FPM, which we did until 'clear of conflict' and leveled at FL270. The traffic passed about 3 mi to our left at FL280. The traffic was possibly in a holding pattern at boton intersection (north of sie) at FL280.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrative: AS WE PROCEEDED NBOUND ON J-121 TOWARD SIE, NE, 114.8, AT FL290 AT 250 KTS, OUR RADAR SHOWED SOME WX AHEAD IN THE VICINITY OF SIE. THIS WAS VISUALLY CONFIRMED. TO GET AROUND THE UPWIND SIDE OF THE WX WE REQUESTED DEV TO THE W, BUT ATC ADVISED DEV E INSTEAD, SO WE FLEW ON THE EWARD SIDE OF THE WX. WHEN WE WERE APPROX ABEAM SIE TO THE E, HDG APPROX 050 DEGS ATC ASKED IF WE COULD COME TO A 300 DEG HDG. THE CAPT REPLIED 'I'D RATHER CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD.' (WE WERE VMC IN SMOOTH AIR BENEATH THE OVERHANG). ATC RESPONDED 'CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD.' SHORTLY AFTERWARD, WE WERE ASSIGNED A DSCNT TO FL280, WE GOT A TCASII RA THAT COMMANDED A GREEN AREA DSCNT AT 2000 FPM. WE INCREASED OUR RATE OF DSCNT FROM 1500 TO 2000 FPM, THEN LEVELED AT FL270. THE CTR CTLR SPOKE TO US AT THIS TIME, SAYING, 'CALLSIGN, I SEE YOU'RE LEVEL FL270.' WE RESPONDED, 'YES, FL270.' OFF TO THE L ABOUT 3 NM, AT ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK, I SAW AN AIRLINER ON AN OPPOSING HDG IN A CLOCKWISE TURN AWAY FROM OUR POS. THAT ACFT APPARENTLY MADE THE RADIO XMISSION HEARD SUBSEQUENTLY THAT INDICATED THAT IT'S PLT HAD RECEIVED A TCASII ADVISORY. NY CTR ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT SIE. WE REPLIED THAT WE HAD NOT. CTR THEN VECTORED US, BASICALLY, ON A R 360 DEG TURN AND DSCNT ON THE CAMRY ARR TO JFK. BEFORE WE LEFT NY ATC FREQ, THE CTLR THANKED US FOR OUR COMPLIANCE. NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE ADDRESSED TO US, AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. OPINION REGARDING WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM: IT APPEARS THAT ATC TEMPORARILY LOST TRACK OF OUR POS AND/OR ALT AND ALLOWED US TO FLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE OTHER ACFT. OTHER: TCASII WORKS! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 220264. PASSING FL280 IN DSCNT WE GOT A RA ON THE TCASII TO INCREASE DSCNT TO 2000 FPM, WHICH WE DID UNTIL 'CLR OF CONFLICT' AND LEVELED AT FL270. THE TFC PASSED ABOUT 3 MI TO OUR L AT FL280. THE TFC WAS POSSIBLY IN A HOLDING PATTERN AT BOTON INTXN (N OF SIE) AT FL280.

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.