Less than standard separation is suspected by reporter in spite of efforts by controller to turn air...

Attributes
ACN	312500
Time
Date	199508
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gck
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
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 : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 485
ASRS Report	312500
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were level at FL350 (msp to abq) heading 230 degrees. We were going direct gck from oma. We were given a heading of 210 degrees for traffic, then heading of 160 degrees for traffic. We heard another heading suddenly given to an air carrier flight also at FL350. As we heard this we suspected a conflict and shortly were told to turn right to 240 degrees and 'expedite.' about half way through the turn we observed another aircraft on TCASII at 100 ft below our altitude. At about the same time we observed the other aircraft visually and could see that our courses were diverging (he was turned from southwest to south as we were turned from south to southwest). Our estimate of minimum closure was about 4 mi. It was obvious to us that the controller had forgotten about us both, however, nothing was said to us, and when the air carrier flight made an inquiry he was only informed that the sudden heading change was for traffic. He may not have ever seen us. The controller did not indicate to us why to expedite the turn or that we had traffic at our 9-11 O'clock position. This definitely is an unsafe situation that needs to be addressed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTSS IS SUSPECTED BY RPTR IN SPITE OF EFFORTS BY CTLR TO TURN ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT FL350 (MSP TO ABQ) HDG 230 DEGS. WE WERE GOING DIRECT GCK FROM OMA. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 210 DEGS FOR TFC, THEN HDG OF 160 DEGS FOR TFC. WE HEARD ANOTHER HDG SUDDENLY GIVEN TO AN ACR FLT ALSO AT FL350. AS WE HEARD THIS WE SUSPECTED A CONFLICT AND SHORTLY WERE TOLD TO TURN R TO 240 DEGS AND 'EXPEDITE.' ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN WE OBSERVED ANOTHER ACFT ON TCASII AT 100 FT BELOW OUR ALT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE OBSERVED THE OTHER ACFT VISUALLY AND COULD SEE THAT OUR COURSES WERE DIVERGING (HE WAS TURNED FROM SW TO S AS WE WERE TURNED FROM S TO SW). OUR ESTIMATE OF MINIMUM CLOSURE WAS ABOUT 4 MI. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO US THAT THE CTLR HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT US BOTH, HOWEVER, NOTHING WAS SAID TO US, AND WHEN THE ACR FLT MADE AN INQUIRY HE WAS ONLY INFORMED THAT THE SUDDEN HDG CHANGE WAS FOR TFC. HE MAY NOT HAVE EVER SEEN US. THE CTLR DID NOT INDICATE TO US WHY TO EXPEDITE THE TURN OR THAT WE HAD TFC AT OUR 9-11 O'CLOCK POS. THIS DEFINITELY IS AN UNSAFE SIT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

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.

Less than standard separation is suspected by reporter in spite of efforts by controller to turn aircraft.