Narrative:

On flight ory-jfk, I, as the copilot, was flying the aircraft and the captain was working the radios. We were leaving french airspace for british control northbound and about 20 NM south of bne, we checked in at FL280. The british controller acknowledged and cleared us to 'maintain FL310, and route bne-bpk-tnt via VB4.' I confirmed with the captain that we were cleared to FL310. I selected FL310 on the mode control panel and initiated the autoplt climb. Shortly after climbing through FL300 I saw an air carrier B aircraft at our 3 O'clock position slightly high. Both aircraft were now on the same frequency. We heard air carrier B questioning the controller about the closing proximity of our aircraft. At FL304 I started evasive procedures by disconnecting the autoplt turning left and converting the climb to a descent. Air carrier B was at FL310. My climb reversed to a descent by FL307. TCASII was now active with conflict and RA. During this time the confused controller had given a new clearance to steer heading 350 degrees and maintain FL290, that heading of 350 degrees was not a change and inadequate since I had already taken up a heading of 330 degrees while descending to FL290. A different controller then cleared us again to maintain FL290 and direct to bne. Air carrier B, while maintaining FL310, had started a right turn to assure separation. Pilots of both aircraft were visual with visual contact. On our arrival jfk the captain was advised that london ATC had accepted full responsibility for this episode.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 IS CLBED IN ERROR INTO A CONFLICT WITH A B747.

Narrative: ON FLT ORY-JFK, I, AS THE COPLT, WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND THE CAPT WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. WE WERE LEAVING FRENCH AIRSPACE FOR BRITISH CTL NBOUND AND ABOUT 20 NM S OF BNE, WE CHKED IN AT FL280. THE BRITISH CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AND CLRED US TO 'MAINTAIN FL310, AND RTE BNE-BPK-TNT VIA VB4.' I CONFIRMED WITH THE CAPT THAT WE WERE CLRED TO FL310. I SELECTED FL310 ON THE MODE CTL PANEL AND INITIATED THE AUTOPLT CLB. SHORTLY AFTER CLBING THROUGH FL300 I SAW AN ACR B ACFT AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS SLIGHTLY HIGH. BOTH ACFT WERE NOW ON THE SAME FREQ. WE HEARD ACR B QUESTIONING THE CTLR ABOUT THE CLOSING PROX OF OUR ACFT. AT FL304 I STARTED EVASIVE PROCS BY DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPLT TURNING L AND CONVERTING THE CLB TO A DSCNT. ACR B WAS AT FL310. MY CLB REVERSED TO A DSCNT BY FL307. TCASII WAS NOW ACTIVE WITH CONFLICT AND RA. DURING THIS TIME THE CONFUSED CTLR HAD GIVEN A NEW CLRNC TO STEER HDG 350 DEGS AND MAINTAIN FL290, THAT HDG OF 350 DEGS WAS NOT A CHANGE AND INADEQUATE SINCE I HAD ALREADY TAKEN UP A HDG OF 330 DEGS WHILE DSNDING TO FL290. A DIFFERENT CTLR THEN CLRED US AGAIN TO MAINTAIN FL290 AND DIRECT TO BNE. ACR B, WHILE MAINTAINING FL310, HAD STARTED A R TURN TO ASSURE SEPARATION. PLTS OF BOTH ACFT WERE VISUAL WITH VISUAL CONTACT. ON OUR ARR JFK THE CAPT WAS ADVISED THAT LONDON ATC HAD ACCEPTED FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS EPISODE.

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.