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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Potential conflict ensues as flight crew ponders over how to handle a visual climb clearance from ATC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 264685 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199402 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mht airport : bos |
| State Reference | NH |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9600 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bos |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other arrival star : star enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 264685 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
We were level at 10000 ft direct mht VOR with inbound bos dc-10 traffic 11 O'clock position opposite direction moving left to right. Controller asked if we had dc-10 in sight and we replied affirmative. He then gave us a clearance to maintain visual on traffic and climb to 14000 ft. The PNF acknowledged. To me, this has always meant to climb to higher altitude after traffic passes clear, so I watched as the traffic moved left to right toward us. Traffic was noted on TCASII at (plus 10) ft. Controller then cleared him to descend right in front of us, as we maintained 10000 ft (with our 14000 ft clearance). We complied with a descend RA from our TCASII and descended to 9600 ft, at which time we were clear of conflict and we then climbed up to 14000 ft with the dc-10 clear to the right and behind us. I've never had an ATC clearance where I was expected to climb visually on opposite traffic that was 1000 ft above me. This clearance typically has always been used to expedite a climb after above traffic passes. Unfortunately, there was not enough time to question the clearance due to the RA on TCASII. Next time, I'll refuse the clearance.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT ENSUES AS FLC PONDERS OVER HOW TO HANDLE A VISUAL CLB CLRNC FROM ATC.
Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 10000 FT DIRECT MHT VOR WITH INBOUND BOS DC-10 TFC 11 O'CLOCK POS OPPOSITE DIRECTION MOVING L TO R. CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD DC-10 IN SIGHT AND WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. HE THEN GAVE US A CLRNC TO MAINTAIN VISUAL ON TFC AND CLB TO 14000 FT. THE PNF ACKNOWLEDGED. TO ME, THIS HAS ALWAYS MEANT TO CLB TO HIGHER ALT AFTER TFC PASSES CLR, SO I WATCHED AS THE TFC MOVED L TO R TOWARD US. TFC WAS NOTED ON TCASII AT (PLUS 10) FT. CTLR THEN CLRED HIM TO DSND R IN FRONT OF US, AS WE MAINTAINED 10000 FT (WITH OUR 14000 FT CLRNC). WE COMPLIED WITH A DSND RA FROM OUR TCASII AND DSNDED TO 9600 FT, AT WHICH TIME WE WERE CLR OF CONFLICT AND WE THEN CLBED UP TO 14000 FT WITH THE DC-10 CLR TO THE R AND BEHIND US. I'VE NEVER HAD AN ATC CLRNC WHERE I WAS EXPECTED TO CLB VISUALLY ON OPPOSITE TFC THAT WAS 1000 FT ABOVE ME. THIS CLRNC TYPICALLY HAS ALWAYS BEEN USED TO EXPEDITE A CLB AFTER ABOVE TFC PASSES. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO QUESTION THE CLRNC DUE TO THE RA ON TCASII. NEXT TIME, I'LL REFUSE THE CLRNC.
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.