Pilot deviation near midair collision between spc a and air carrier B.

Attributes
ACN	279870
Time
Date	199408
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Prowler (EA6B)
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	279870
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier B was northbound J101 towards stl at FL330. Spc a was sebound at FL330 I noticed spc a speed drop off and lost transponder. I asked if he was experiencing any difficulty and got no reply. Then I descended air carrier B to FL290 for traffic. Spc a transmitted standby then I noticed his transponder reacquired at FL322. Spc a transmitted he needed lower, couldn't hold altitude. I turned air carrier B 090 degrees left, approximately heading of 300 degrees, and descended spc a to FL290 and to fly heading 090 degrees. Spc a said he didn't want to declare an emergency. Then his transponder went into emergency squawk. He needed lower again. I issued FL250 and asked if he needed lower, answer was no we have engine restart. Aircraft data blocks merged no TCASII response because spc a transponder shut down when his engine did. Pilots never called visual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV NMAC BTWN SPC A AND ACR B.

Narrative: ACR B WAS NBOUND J101 TOWARDS STL AT FL330. SPC A WAS SEBOUND AT FL330 I NOTICED SPC A SPD DROP OFF AND LOST XPONDER. I ASKED IF HE WAS EXPERIENCING ANY DIFFICULTY AND GOT NO REPLY. THEN I DSNDED ACR B TO FL290 FOR TFC. SPC A TRANSMITTED STANDBY THEN I NOTICED HIS XPONDER REACQUIRED AT FL322. SPC A TRANSMITTED HE NEEDED LOWER, COULDN'T HOLD ALT. I TURNED ACR B 090 DEGS L, APPROX HDG OF 300 DEGS, AND DSNDED SPC A TO FL290 AND TO FLY HDG 090 DEGS. SPC A SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO DECLARE AN EMER. THEN HIS XPONDER WENT INTO EMER SQUAWK. HE NEEDED LOWER AGAIN. I ISSUED FL250 AND ASKED IF HE NEEDED LOWER, ANSWER WAS NO WE HAVE ENG RESTART. ACFT DATA BLOCKS MERGED NO TCASII RESPONSE BECAUSE SPC A XPONDER SHUT DOWN WHEN HIS ENG DID. PLTS NEVER CALLED VISUAL.

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.