Operation error involved in a potential conflict between 2 aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	307298
Time
Date	199506
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ogd
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20500 msl bound upper : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	307298
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	307431
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Flight was descending to 17000 ft. At 20700 ft ATC amended altitude to FL210. I advised that we were below FL210 but would climb back to FL210. Simultaneously I visually picked up traffic climbing left to right across our flight path. TCASII gave a climb resolution. We climbed to FL210. No danger of midair occurred. ATC advised me that the incident was attributed to controller error. At the time of the incident, center was extremely busy and too high a workload has to be considered a factor. While no hazardous situation resulted from this encounter, it is an ever growing problem that controller's are over worked and responsible for increasing numbers of aircraft . Better equipment and more qualified controllers is a must. Supplemental information from acn 307431: captain talked to ATC on the ground and they admitted controller error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OP ERROR INVOLVED IN A POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN 2 ACFT.

Narrative: FLT WAS DSNDING TO 17000 FT. AT 20700 FT ATC AMENDED ALT TO FL210. I ADVISED THAT WE WERE BELOW FL210 BUT WOULD CLB BACK TO FL210. SIMULTANEOUSLY I VISUALLY PICKED UP TFC CLBING L TO R ACROSS OUR FLT PATH. TCASII GAVE A CLB RESOLUTION. WE CLBED TO FL210. NO DANGER OF MIDAIR OCCURRED. ATC ADVISED ME THAT THE INCIDENT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO CTLR ERROR. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, CTR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND TOO HIGH A WORKLOAD HAS TO BE CONSIDERED A FACTOR. WHILE NO HAZARDOUS SIT RESULTED FROM THIS ENCOUNTER, IT IS AN EVER GROWING PROB THAT CTLR'S ARE OVER WORKED AND RESPONSIBLE FOR INCREASING NUMBERS OF ACFT . BETTER EQUIP AND MORE QUALIFIED CTLRS IS A MUST. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 307431: CAPT TALKED TO ATC ON THE GND AND THEY ADMITTED CTLR ERROR.

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.