Potential conflict creates need for altitude deviation altitude excursion.

Attributes
ACN	222759
Time
Date	199209
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bvl
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc tower : tus
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	222759
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 9600 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	222666
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : exit conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier medium large transport en route from den to rno. Around ekr, ZDV cleared us direct to fmg. As we neared the western edge of their airspace at FL310, ZLC issued a left turn to 180 degrees, vectors for traffic. This was nearly 90 degrees off of our present course. Observed TCASII target on ehsi, opposite direction FL310 20 NM or more to our west. The vector took that traffic well to our right. In rolling out on our southerly heading, another TCASII target was observed at 12 O'clock, 10 NM, at FL303. TCASII alerted 'traffic -- traffic' and I commented to the captain that we needed higher. As he was transmitting, RA 'climb -- climb' was issued. I disconnected autoplt and autothrottle and pitched up and added power. We received clearance to climb to FL350 as we were climbing through FL314. RA went to 'monitor vertical speed.' we both observed the traffic passing close in on the right and 1000 ft lower. The red and green position lights were clearly visible. Controller indicated that the conflict was caused by 'spill-out' traffic from a MOA. He said that the aircraft was 8 NM outside his MOA boundary. We were switched to ZOA, who subsequently vectored us around the south side of the MOA. Landed at rno uneventfully 5 mins behind schedule. The TCASII worked great with proper evasive commands. Altitude bus was technically only 400 ft out of assigned altitude and ZLC indicated it was no problem. Recommendation: although ZDV thought they were doing us a favor by clearing us direct mustang, they put us right in an MOA. More coordination between ctrs is necessary before clearing aircraft direct. This incident might have been averted had we been on the airways. No moas show on our high altitude charts, only on the low altitude chart. Even then, airspace only goes to FL180. If mtrs are getting up to FL303, the acrs need to be kept clear. Airspace needs re-evaluation and training activity needs better monitoring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT CREATES NEED FOR ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: ACR MLG ENRTE FROM DEN TO RNO. AROUND EKR, ZDV CLRED US DIRECT TO FMG. AS WE NEARED THE WESTERN EDGE OF THEIR AIRSPACE AT FL310, ZLC ISSUED A L TURN TO 180 DEGS, VECTORS FOR TFC. THIS WAS NEARLY 90 DEGS OFF OF OUR PRESENT COURSE. OBSERVED TCASII TARGET ON EHSI, OPPOSITE DIRECTION FL310 20 NM OR MORE TO OUR W. THE VECTOR TOOK THAT TFC WELL TO OUR R. IN ROLLING OUT ON OUR SOUTHERLY HDG, ANOTHER TCASII TARGET WAS OBSERVED AT 12 O'CLOCK, 10 NM, AT FL303. TCASII ALERTED 'TFC -- TFC' AND I COMMENTED TO THE CAPT THAT WE NEEDED HIGHER. AS HE WAS XMITTING, RA 'CLB -- CLB' WAS ISSUED. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE AND PITCHED UP AND ADDED PWR. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO CLB TO FL350 AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH FL314. RA WENT TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' WE BOTH OBSERVED THE TFC PASSING CLOSE IN ON THE R AND 1000 FT LOWER. THE RED AND GREEN POS LIGHTS WERE CLRLY VISIBLE. CTLR INDICATED THAT THE CONFLICT WAS CAUSED BY 'SPILL-OUT' TFC FROM A MOA. HE SAID THAT THE ACFT WAS 8 NM OUTSIDE HIS MOA BOUNDARY. WE WERE SWITCHED TO ZOA, WHO SUBSEQUENTLY VECTORED US AROUND THE S SIDE OF THE MOA. LANDED AT RNO UNEVENTFULLY 5 MINS BEHIND SCHEDULE. THE TCASII WORKED GREAT WITH PROPER EVASIVE COMMANDS. ALT BUS WAS TECHNICALLY ONLY 400 FT OUT OF ASSIGNED ALT AND ZLC INDICATED IT WAS NO PROBLEM. RECOMMENDATION: ALTHOUGH ZDV THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING US A FAVOR BY CLRING US DIRECT MUSTANG, THEY PUT US RIGHT IN AN MOA. MORE COORD BTWN CTRS IS NECESSARY BEFORE CLRING ACFT DIRECT. THIS INCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVERTED HAD WE BEEN ON THE AIRWAYS. NO MOAS SHOW ON OUR HIGH ALT CHARTS, ONLY ON THE LOW ALT CHART. EVEN THEN, AIRSPACE ONLY GOES TO FL180. IF MTRS ARE GETTING UP TO FL303, THE ACRS NEED TO BE KEPT CLR. AIRSPACE NEEDS RE-EVALUATION AND TRAINING ACTIVITY NEEDS BETTER MONITORING.

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.