Flight crew responds to TCASII RA and is told there was a controller operational error.

Attributes
ACN	315381
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bwg
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Super DC-8 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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 : atp
ASRS Report	315381
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft was at FL350 130 mi east of bwg when the controller issued a 15 degree turn to the left. After the aircraft was on heading 245 degree for a few seconds the controller issued a further left turn to heading 190 degree. About 20 degrees from heading 190 the controller asked to tighten up the turn and we complied and rolled out on a 190 degree heading. After about 10 seconds on a 190 degree heading we received a RA command and told to descend. The traffic appeared on TCASII at the 2 O'clock position and closing aboard as the TCASII was in the 40 mi scale. The copilot began an immediate descent and I advised ATC that we were descending due to a RA advisory. We descended 200 ft when the TCASII verbal command to monitor vertical speed occurred and we returned to FL350 and I told center we were again level at FL350. The conflicting traffic was never visually acquired and passed off to the starboard side at the 5 O'clock position on the TCASII. After arrival at dfw I called indy center and was told by the supervisor that it had been an operational error on part of the controller and that appropriate action had been taken. This event occurred around XA10Z on indy frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC RESPONDS TO TCASII RA AND IS TOLD THERE WAS A CTLR OPERROR.

Narrative: ACFT WAS AT FL350 130 MI E OF BWG WHEN THE CTLR ISSUED A 15 DEG TURN TO THE L. AFTER THE ACFT WAS ON HDG 245 DEG FOR A FEW SECONDS THE CTLR ISSUED A FURTHER L TURN TO HDG 190 DEG. ABOUT 20 DEGS FROM HDG 190 THE CTLR ASKED TO TIGHTEN UP THE TURN AND WE COMPLIED AND ROLLED OUT ON A 190 DEG HDG. AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS ON A 190 DEG HDG WE RECEIVED A RA COMMAND AND TOLD TO DSND. THE TFC APPEARED ON TCASII AT THE 2 O'CLOCK POS AND CLOSING ABOARD AS THE TCASII WAS IN THE 40 MI SCALE. THE COPLT BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND I ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE DSNDING DUE TO A RA ADVISORY. WE DSNDED 200 FT WHEN THE TCASII VERBAL COMMAND TO MONITOR VERT SPD OCCURRED AND WE RETURNED TO FL350 AND I TOLD CTR WE WERE AGAIN LEVEL AT FL350. THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS NEVER VISUALLY ACQUIRED AND PASSED OFF TO THE STARBOARD SIDE AT THE 5 O'CLOCK POS ON THE TCASII. AFTER ARR AT DFW I CALLED INDY CTR AND WAS TOLD BY THE SUPVR THAT IT HAD BEEN AN OPERATIONAL ERROR ON PART OF THE CTLR AND THAT APPROPRIATE ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN. THIS EVENT OCCURRED AROUND XA10Z ON INDY FREQ.

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.