Narrative:

Air carrier Y at FL350, 130 mi east of bwg when the controller issued a 15 degree turn to the left. After the aircraft was on a heading of 245 degrees for a few seconds, the controller issued a further left turn to 190 degrees. About 20 degrees from the heading 190 degrees the controller asked to tighten up the turn and we complied and rolled out on a 190 degree heading. After a few seconds on a 190 degree heading we received an RA command which directed descent. The traffic appeared on TCASII at the 2 O'clock position. I began an immediate descent and the captain advised ATC. We descended approximately 200 ft when the TCASII went to monitor vertical speed. When we returned to FL350 we advised ATC of our actions. We never saw the other aircraft. After arrival at dfw the captain called the center and was told by the supervisor that it had been an operational error on the part of the controller. This event occurred on indy center frequency 123.77. Supplemental information from acn 315232: air carrier X checked on leaving FL308 for FL330 s- sebound, 'X' assigned present heading climb to FL370, traffic, air carrier 'Y' was 11 O'clock 80 mi swbound FL350. Later 'X' was turned 10 degree left for traffic. 'Y' turned 15 degree left for traffic, 'X' was turned additional 10 degree left for traffic, then 'X' was assigned 100 degree heading, 'Y' assigned 190 degree heading. Separation was lost. Supplemental information from acn 315087: while working the radar assistant position at a super high sector (FL350 and above) of indianapolis ARTCC, I did not hear the radar controller assign X an altitude above FL330 because I was on another line performing coordination functions. My attention was further drawn from the radar scope when another controller called me with some control instructions. When I noticed the 2 aircraft were in conflict at FL350, I advised the radar controller that both aircraft should be turned more extensively to obtain some horizontal separation but it was too late to maintain the legal separation of 5 NM. The aircraft appeared to pass no closer than 3 NM and a couple hundred feet. Had I not been doing land line coordination, I might have noticed the situation earlier to give help to the low experienced radar controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y TCASII RA EVASIVE ACTION DSND.

Narrative: ACR Y AT FL350, 130 MI E OF BWG WHEN THE CTLR ISSUED A 15 DEG TURN TO THE L. AFTER THE ACFT WAS ON A HDG OF 245 DEGS FOR A FEW SECONDS, THE CTLR ISSUED A FURTHER L TURN TO 190 DEGS. ABOUT 20 DEGS FROM THE HDG 190 DEGS THE CTLR ASKED TO TIGHTEN UP THE TURN AND WE COMPLIED AND ROLLED OUT ON A 190 DEG HDG. AFTER A FEW SECONDS ON A 190 DEG HDG WE RECEIVED AN RA COMMAND WHICH DIRECTED DSCNT. THE TFC APPEARED ON TCASII AT THE 2 O'CLOCK POS. I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND THE CAPT ADVISED ATC. WE DSNDED APPROX 200 FT WHEN THE TCASII WENT TO MONITOR VERT SPD. WHEN WE RETURNED TO FL350 WE ADVISED ATC OF OUR ACTIONS. WE NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT. AFTER ARR AT DFW THE CAPT CALLED THE CTR AND WAS TOLD BY THE SUPVR THAT IT HAD BEEN AN OPERATIONAL ERROR ON THE PART OF THE CTLR. THIS EVENT OCCURRED ON INDY CTR FREQ 123.77. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 315232: ACR X CHKED ON LEAVING FL308 FOR FL330 S- SEBOUND, 'X' ASSIGNED PRESENT HDG CLB TO FL370, TFC, ACR 'Y' WAS 11 O'CLOCK 80 MI SWBOUND FL350. LATER 'X' WAS TURNED 10 DEG L FOR TFC. 'Y' TURNED 15 DEG L FOR TFC, 'X' WAS TURNED ADDITIONAL 10 DEG L FOR TFC, THEN 'X' WAS ASSIGNED 100 DEG HDG, 'Y' ASSIGNED 190 DEG HDG. SEPARATION WAS LOST. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 315087: WHILE WORKING THE RADAR ASSISTANT POS AT A SUPER HIGH SECTOR (FL350 AND ABOVE) OF INDIANAPOLIS ARTCC, I DID NOT HEAR THE RADAR CTLR ASSIGN X AN ALT ABOVE FL330 BECAUSE I WAS ON ANOTHER LINE PERFORMING COORD FUNCTIONS. MY ATTN WAS FURTHER DRAWN FROM THE RADAR SCOPE WHEN ANOTHER CTLR CALLED ME WITH SOME CTL INSTRUCTIONS. WHEN I NOTICED THE 2 ACFT WERE IN CONFLICT AT FL350, I ADVISED THE RADAR CTLR THAT BOTH ACFT SHOULD BE TURNED MORE EXTENSIVELY TO OBTAIN SOME HORIZ SEPARATION BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAINTAIN THE LEGAL SEPARATION OF 5 NM. THE ACFT APPEARED TO PASS NO CLOSER THAN 3 NM AND A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET. HAD I NOT BEEN DOING LAND LINE COORD, I MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THE SIT EARLIER TO GIVE HELP TO THE LOW EXPERIENCED RADAR CTLR.

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.