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Air carrier X non compliance with ATC clearance TCASII TA had less than standard separation from air carrier Y.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 311076 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199507 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gso |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 311076 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Air carrier X was proceeding direct to gso and began to deviate around several large thunderstorms, with center concurrence. Aircraft was climbing to FL290. We were given a climb to FL330, with a restr to be there within 4 mins. The aircraft was fairly heavy (475,000 pounds plus or minus), and in order to comply with the restr I climbed at greater rate than normal, in an effort to exchange airspeed for altitude. At about FL310 the airspeed began to deteriorate to a point where I felt it was prudent to arrest the climb and gain more airspeed. I advised the controller that we were unable to comply with the climb restr. The controller then attempted to vector us into a thunderstorm. Even under the best of circumstances, this would not have been a good idea, operating at a reduced airspeed, it would have been extremely hazardous for me to have accepted such a vector. I tried to explain this to the controller, but I fear that she did not fully comprehend our predicament. She then gave us an 'immediate' left turn away from swbound traffic, and a descend to FL290. The immediency of the turn was not practical, however I started a shallow bank turn away from oncoming traffic, and a descent to FL290. We were aware of the aircraft Y on TCASII, and visually assured that we had adequate safe visual separation. We had to contend with aircraft performance, thunderstorm avoidance, and traffic separation. The controller had only traffic separation. I would suggest that not trying to cram so many airplanes into thunderstorm ravaged areas would have mitigated or eliminated the problem we experienced.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR X NON COMPLIANCE WITH ATC CLRNC TCASII TA HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y.
Narrative: ACR X WAS PROCEEDING DIRECT TO GSO AND BEGAN TO DEVIATE AROUND SEVERAL LARGE TSTMS, WITH CTR CONCURRENCE. ACFT WAS CLBING TO FL290. WE WERE GIVEN A CLB TO FL330, WITH A RESTR TO BE THERE WITHIN 4 MINS. THE ACFT WAS FAIRLY HVY (475,000 LBS PLUS OR MINUS), AND IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTR I CLBED AT GREATER RATE THAN NORMAL, IN AN EFFORT TO EXCHANGE AIRSPD FOR ALT. AT ABOUT FL310 THE AIRSPD BEGAN TO DETERIORATE TO A POINT WHERE I FELT IT WAS PRUDENT TO ARREST THE CLB AND GAIN MORE AIRSPD. I ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE CLB RESTR. THE CTLR THEN ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR US INTO A TSTM. EVEN UNDER THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA, OPERATING AT A REDUCED AIRSPD, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS FOR ME TO HAVE ACCEPTED SUCH A VECTOR. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THIS TO THE CTLR, BUT I FEAR THAT SHE DID NOT FULLY COMPREHEND OUR PREDICAMENT. SHE THEN GAVE US AN 'IMMEDIATE' L TURN AWAY FROM SWBOUND TFC, AND A DSND TO FL290. THE IMMEDIENCY OF THE TURN WAS NOT PRACTICAL, HOWEVER I STARTED A SHALLOW BANK TURN AWAY FROM ONCOMING TFC, AND A DSCNT TO FL290. WE WERE AWARE OF THE ACFT Y ON TCASII, AND VISUALLY ASSURED THAT WE HAD ADEQUATE SAFE VISUAL SEPARATION. WE HAD TO CONTEND WITH ACFT PERFORMANCE, TSTM AVOIDANCE, AND TFC SEPARATION. THE CTLR HAD ONLY TFC SEPARATION. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT NOT TRYING TO CRAM SO MANY AIRPLANES INTO TSTM RAVAGED AREAS WOULD HAVE MITIGATED OR ELIMINATED THE PROB WE EXPERIENCED.
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.