Narrative:

Made position report over poxed (on pacific route A590) at XA32Z at FL330. Shortly after, approximately XA35Z, received ATC clearance to climb to FL350. Repeated instructions and climbed to FL350. Approximately XA45Z received TA (12-12:30 O'clock position on 10 mi arc). Shortly after, received RA and descend command. Made descending left turn. Monitored left turn of oncoming aircraft. After traffic passed, resumed on course, and climbed back up from FL345 to FL350. Called tokyo radar control and asked to confirm assigned flight level. Tokyo cleared us to FL330 and questioned us on times of fl changes we were given. We reiterated the events as I have done here. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was flying her IOE time on the L-1011 with a retired captain from another air carrier who was now a full time simulator instructor for reporter's air carrier. He was assigned to this ferry flight from hkg to anc to perform check airman duties. The reporter stated that the flight had received numerous amended altitude changes while en route during the first 5 hours. The crew was concerned with the fuel remaining as the winds were not as forecast. Each altitude change was given after a SELCAL was received so the 3 crew members did have their headsets on and confirmed the clrncs. The reporter feels, after a review of the incident with the rest of the crew, that the ARTCC center in rjtg made the error. The controller refused to commit his actions to any assessment. Reporter has not heard from the FAA regarding this event but did send in a TCASII report. Altitude changes would be made within a 30 min time frame which the crew thought was unusual. Controller technique or planning was a concern. The other aircraft was observed to apparently react to their TCASII at the same time as the reporter's aircraft, but in the opposite direction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT. SAME ALT OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: MADE POS RPT OVER POXED (ON PACIFIC RTE A590) AT XA32Z AT FL330. SHORTLY AFTER, APPROX XA35Z, RECEIVED ATC CLRNC TO CLB TO FL350. REPEATED INSTRUCTIONS AND CLBED TO FL350. APPROX XA45Z RECEIVED TA (12-12:30 O'CLOCK POS ON 10 MI ARC). SHORTLY AFTER, RECEIVED RA AND DSND COMMAND. MADE DSNDING L TURN. MONITORED L TURN OF ONCOMING ACFT. AFTER TFC PASSED, RESUMED ON COURSE, AND CLBED BACK UP FROM FL345 TO FL350. CALLED TOKYO RADAR CTL AND ASKED TO CONFIRM ASSIGNED FLT LEVEL. TOKYO CLRED US TO FL330 AND QUESTIONED US ON TIMES OF FL CHANGES WE WERE GIVEN. WE REITERATED THE EVENTS AS I HAVE DONE HERE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS FLYING HER IOE TIME ON THE L-1011 WITH A RETIRED CAPT FROM ANOTHER ACR WHO WAS NOW A FULL TIME SIMULATOR INSTRUCTOR FOR RPTR'S AIR CARRIER. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THIS FERRY FLT FROM HKG TO ANC TO PERFORM CHK AIRMAN DUTIES. THE RPTR STATED THAT THE FLT HAD RECEIVED NUMEROUS AMENDED ALT CHANGES WHILE ENRTE DURING THE FIRST 5 HRS. THE CREW WAS CONCERNED WITH THE FUEL REMAINING AS THE WINDS WERE NOT AS FORECAST. EACH ALT CHANGE WAS GIVEN AFTER A SELCAL WAS RECEIVED SO THE 3 CREW MEMBERS DID HAVE THEIR HEADSETS ON AND CONFIRMED THE CLRNCS. THE RPTR FEELS, AFTER A REVIEW OF THE INCIDENT WITH THE REST OF THE CREW, THAT THE ARTCC CTR IN RJTG MADE THE ERROR. THE CTLR REFUSED TO COMMIT HIS ACTIONS TO ANY ASSESSMENT. RPTR HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE FAA REGARDING THIS EVENT BUT DID SEND IN A TCASII RPT. ALT CHANGES WOULD BE MADE WITHIN A 30 MIN TIME FRAME WHICH THE CREW THOUGHT WAS UNUSUAL. CTLR TECHNIQUE OR PLANNING WAS A CONCERN. THE OTHER ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO APPARENTLY REACT TO THEIR TCASII AT THE SAME TIME AS THE RPTR'S ACFT, BUT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

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.