Reporter responds to TCASII RA at about simultaneous with controller 'immediate' vector.

Attributes
ACN	288093
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oma
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp artcc : mmty
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2900
ASRS Report	288093
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

During stabilized cruise at FL310, TCASII displayed TA target at 12 O'clock, 6 mi 200 ft below our altitude and climbing. Asked msp ARTCC if any traffic for our flight. Controller then issued, 'turn left heading 180 degree (from 224 degree right) immediately (not good usage of word 'immediately'). Simultaneously, received TCASII RA to 'climb -- climb.' this was followed within seconds by TCASII announcing 'maintain vertical speed' and 'clear of conflict.' climbing left turn to 180 degree heading resulted in smooth transition and maximum altitude of 31300 ft MSL. Advised, msp ARTCC of compliance with TCASII RA after controller issued 'maintain FL310' and then advised controller 'descending back to FL310.' when questioned as to what had occurred, controller stated that 'I only need 5 mi separation by law.' this was apparently a defensive statement from a new controller I later learned from center chief. Controller had relatively light workload and conflict was with another airliner climbing from FL290 to FL330 coming from lnk VOR towards oma. Controller apparently was not anticipating our turn down oma 224 degree right which was our filed route oma direct gck VOR and thus the conflict. Spoke directly with msp ARTCC supervisors/chiefs to discuss same. Controller was being dealt with by msp ARTCC supervisors. I flied an air safety report with my company as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR RESPONDS TO TCASII RA AT ABOUT SIMULTANEOUS WITH CTLR 'IMMEDIATE' VECTOR.

Narrative: DURING STABILIZED CRUISE AT FL310, TCASII DISPLAYED TA TARGET AT 12 O'CLOCK, 6 MI 200 FT BELOW OUR ALT AND CLBING. ASKED MSP ARTCC IF ANY TFC FOR OUR FLT. CTLR THEN ISSUED, 'TURN L HDG 180 DEG (FROM 224 DEG R) IMMEDIATELY (NOT GOOD USAGE OF WORD 'IMMEDIATELY'). SIMULTANEOUSLY, RECEIVED TCASII RA TO 'CLB -- CLB.' THIS WAS FOLLOWED WITHIN SECONDS BY TCASII ANNOUNCING 'MAINTAIN VERT SPD' AND 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' CLBING L TURN TO 180 DEG HDG RESULTED IN SMOOTH TRANSITION AND MAX ALT OF 31300 FT MSL. ADVISED, MSP ARTCC OF COMPLIANCE WITH TCASII RA AFTER CTLR ISSUED 'MAINTAIN FL310' AND THEN ADVISED CTLR 'DSNDING BACK TO FL310.' WHEN QUESTIONED AS TO WHAT HAD OCCURRED, CTLR STATED THAT 'I ONLY NEED 5 MI SEPARATION BY LAW.' THIS WAS APPARENTLY A DEFENSIVE STATEMENT FROM A NEW CTLR I LATER LEARNED FROM CTR CHIEF. CTLR HAD RELATIVELY LIGHT WORKLOAD AND CONFLICT WAS WITH ANOTHER AIRLINER CLBING FROM FL290 TO FL330 COMING FROM LNK VOR TOWARDS OMA. CTLR APPARENTLY WAS NOT ANTICIPATING OUR TURN DOWN OMA 224 DEG R WHICH WAS OUR FILED RTE OMA DIRECT GCK VOR AND THUS THE CONFLICT. SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH MSP ARTCC SUPVRS/CHIEFS TO DISCUSS SAME. CTLR WAS BEING DEALT WITH BY MSP ARTCC SUPVRS. I FLIED AN AIR SAFETY RPT WITH MY COMPANY AS WELL.

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.