Narrative:

I was the controller working eastbound departures from slc. I was working ZLC sector 3. 2 aircraft, air carrier X and air carrier Y, both stopped for traffic at FL270. Air carrier Z was wbound at FL280. I asked air carrier X how long before he could reach FL290. The reply was 'we can do that in 2 1/2 mins, air carrier Y.' I thought air carrier X had replied, so I said 'air carrier X, roger, climb and maintain FL290, I need you there in 3 mins or less.' the reply was 'roger, climbing to FL290, yeah we can make that speed 360 KTS.' I then issued traffic to air carrier Y, as his mode C indicated level at FL270.' air carrier Y traffic 12 O'clock, 1-5 mi, opposite direction B-737, FL280. Report passing the traffic.' air carrier Y replied 'we're IMC.' the next mode C update showed air carrier Y FL276 climbing. I asked his altitude, he said FL283. Closest proximity was 1.4 NM, 600 ft. Supplemental information from acn 303970: ATC issued air carrier X a clearance to climb to and maintain FL290 within 3 mins or less. The clearance was acknowledged and the climb to FL290 was started. The TCASII was on the 14 NM range and no targets were displayed. At approximately FL278, a target appeared on the TCASII at 11:30 O'clock position, 13 NM. This was followed by a TA. Air carrier X initiated a 10 degree turn to the right, and increased the rate of climb. The ATC controller asked us to verify that we were cleared to remain at FL270. Air carrier X replied 'no,' that we were cleared to FL290, and that we had initiated a turn to the right for traffic. The ATC controller then attempted to turn air carrier X back to the left, which would have crossed air carrier X in front of the oncoming traffic. At that time the TCASII issued an RA. The traffic was at approximately 11 O'clock position and closing within approximately 1 mi. Air carrier X continued a right turn to approximately 40 degrees off of the original heading and increased the rate of climb to 2000 FPM. X leveled at FL290 in 2 mins. The other aircraft was never given any heading change. The traffic passed off the left at approximately 11 O'clock and about 500 ft below us. The traffic was approximately 1/2 mi away from air carrier X. Supplemental information from acn 303971: while navigating on J173 slc-ekr, maintaining FL270, ZLC gave our flight, air carrier X, a clearance to climb so as to be level FL290 in 3 mins or less. We departed FL270 for FL290, at which time a target appeared on our TCASII. The target was 12 O'clock, 280 degrees, heading west. We turned 40 degrees to the south to evade the oncoming target. The ZLC controller then asked us to verify that we were maintaining FL270. We ignored the heading clearance and reminded the controller of our clearance to FL290 within 3 mins or less. We leveled at FL290 within 2 mins. Supplemental information from acn 304261: ATC issued our flight a climb clearance from FL270-FL290 in 3 mins or less. We read back the clearance and initiated climb. ATC controller seemed to be nervous and confused throughout the event. ATC issued no instructions to the other aircraft at any time nor did he ever tell us about the traffic at any time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR Y RESPONSE TO WRONG CALL SIGN UNAUTH CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM ACR Z. PLTDEV. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS THE CTLR WORKING EBOUND DEPS FROM SLC. I WAS WORKING ZLC SECTOR 3. 2 ACFT, ACR X AND ACR Y, BOTH STOPPED FOR TFC AT FL270. ACR Z WAS WBOUND AT FL280. I ASKED ACR X HOW LONG BEFORE HE COULD REACH FL290. THE REPLY WAS 'WE CAN DO THAT IN 2 1/2 MINS, ACR Y.' I THOUGHT ACR X HAD REPLIED, SO I SAID 'ACR X, ROGER, CLB AND MAINTAIN FL290, I NEED YOU THERE IN 3 MINS OR LESS.' THE REPLY WAS 'ROGER, CLBING TO FL290, YEAH WE CAN MAKE THAT SPD 360 KTS.' I THEN ISSUED TFC TO ACR Y, AS HIS MODE C INDICATED LEVEL AT FL270.' ACR Y TFC 12 O'CLOCK, 1-5 MI, OPPOSITE DIRECTION B-737, FL280. RPT PASSING THE TFC.' ACR Y REPLIED 'WE'RE IMC.' THE NEXT MODE C UPDATE SHOWED ACR Y FL276 CLBING. I ASKED HIS ALT, HE SAID FL283. CLOSEST PROX WAS 1.4 NM, 600 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 303970: ATC ISSUED ACR X A CLRNC TO CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL290 WITHIN 3 MINS OR LESS. THE CLRNC WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND THE CLB TO FL290 WAS STARTED. THE TCASII WAS ON THE 14 NM RANGE AND NO TARGETS WERE DISPLAYED. AT APPROX FL278, A TARGET APPEARED ON THE TCASII AT 11:30 O'CLOCK POS, 13 NM. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A TA. ACR X INITIATED A 10 DEG TURN TO THE R, AND INCREASED THE RATE OF CLB. THE ATC CTLR ASKED US TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE CLRED TO REMAIN AT FL270. ACR X REPLIED 'NO,' THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL290, AND THAT WE HAD INITIATED A TURN TO THE R FOR TFC. THE ATC CTLR THEN ATTEMPTED TO TURN ACR X BACK TO THE L, WHICH WOULD HAVE CROSSED ACR X IN FRONT OF THE ONCOMING TFC. AT THAT TIME THE TCASII ISSUED AN RA. THE TFC WAS AT APPROX 11 O'CLOCK POS AND CLOSING WITHIN APPROX 1 MI. ACR X CONTINUED A R TURN TO APPROX 40 DEGS OFF OF THE ORIGINAL HDG AND INCREASED THE RATE OF CLB TO 2000 FPM. X LEVELED AT FL290 IN 2 MINS. THE OTHER ACFT WAS NEVER GIVEN ANY HDG CHANGE. THE TFC PASSED OFF THE L AT APPROX 11 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 500 FT BELOW US. THE TFC WAS APPROX 1/2 MI AWAY FROM ACR X. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 303971: WHILE NAVING ON J173 SLC-EKR, MAINTAINING FL270, ZLC GAVE OUR FLT, ACR X, A CLRNC TO CLB SO AS TO BE LEVEL FL290 IN 3 MINS OR LESS. WE DEPARTED FL270 FOR FL290, AT WHICH TIME A TARGET APPEARED ON OUR TCASII. THE TARGET WAS 12 O'CLOCK, 280 DEGS, HDG W. WE TURNED 40 DEGS TO THE S TO EVADE THE ONCOMING TARGET. THE ZLC CTLR THEN ASKED US TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE MAINTAINING FL270. WE IGNORED THE HDG CLRNC AND REMINDED THE CTLR OF OUR CLRNC TO FL290 WITHIN 3 MINS OR LESS. WE LEVELED AT FL290 WITHIN 2 MINS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 304261: ATC ISSUED OUR FLT A CLB CLRNC FROM FL270-FL290 IN 3 MINS OR LESS. WE READ BACK THE CLRNC AND INITIATED CLB. ATC CTLR SEEMED TO BE NERVOUS AND CONFUSED THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. ATC ISSUED NO INSTRUCTIONS TO THE OTHER ACFT AT ANY TIME NOR DID HE EVER TELL US ABOUT THE TFC AT ANY TIME.

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.