Reported loss of separation between reporter's B737 level at 10000 ft and a second B737 at an altitu...

Attributes
ACN	393302
Time
Date	199802
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tracon : bur tower : dfw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 1040
ASRS Report	393302
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 10200 flight time type : 950
ASRS Report	393279
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 900
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

After takeoff we turned right to 210 degree heading in compliance with the SID, climbed and leveled off at 6000 ft. We were then assigned a heading of 260 degrees and told to climb to 12000 ft but were hastily reassigned an altitude of 8000 ft by another controller (supervisor?). As with previous departures from burbank airport the day prior, we received numerous headings, altitudes, and frequency changes as we were controled northwest of burbank airport. As we were flying on an assigned heading (300 degrees, I believe) and at 10000 ft, we were given another frequency. Due to radio congestion on the new frequency, it took several attempts to check in. During this time, I noted a B737-300 flying parallel to our direction of flight, level above our position approximately 500-700 ft and laterally offset by 800-1000 ft. When I was able to check on frequency I immediately added that I 'had the traffic in sight.' the controller asked if we were direct to sxc (I believe) and I responded that we were on an assigned heading. The controller turned us west, then south and on our way direct shots/west-291. We were not aware of any potential violation until we were on descent to ont and given a ZLA phone number to call. I believe the factors contributing/resulting to the loss of separation were: 1) multiple heading and altitude assignments, and frequency changes shortly after takeoff, and 2) socal departure controller's lack of assigning a direct fim routing. This is apparently where the controller thought we were going per the phone conversation to ZLA after the incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said that the captain had talked with the center supervisor who indicated that they might be violated but also indicated that the tapes, center and bur, had to be played. Reporter had heard nothing further on the incident. Reporter felt the incident was a miscom between the approach and the center. Reporter said they did not get a TCASII alert on the other B737.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTED LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN RPTR'S B737 LEVEL AT 10000 FT AND A SECOND B737 AT AN ALT 500 FT TO 700 FT HIGHER.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF WE TURNED R TO 210 DEG HDG IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SID, CLBED AND LEVELED OFF AT 6000 FT. WE WERE THEN ASSIGNED A HDG OF 260 DEGS AND TOLD TO CLB TO 12000 FT BUT WERE HASTILY REASSIGNED AN ALT OF 8000 FT BY ANOTHER CTLR (SUPVR?). AS WITH PREVIOUS DEPS FROM BURBANK ARPT THE DAY PRIOR, WE RECEIVED NUMEROUS HEADINGS, ALTS, AND FREQ CHANGES AS WE WERE CTLED NW OF BURBANK ARPT. AS WE WERE FLYING ON AN ASSIGNED HEADING (300 DEGS, I BELIEVE) AND AT 10000 FT, WE WERE GIVEN ANOTHER FREQ. DUE TO RADIO CONGESTION ON THE NEW FREQ, IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CHK IN. DURING THIS TIME, I NOTED A B737-300 FLYING PARALLEL TO OUR DIRECTION OF FLT, LEVEL ABOVE OUR POS APPROX 500-700 FT AND LATERALLY OFFSET BY 800-1000 FT. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO CHK ON FREQ I IMMEDIATELY ADDED THAT I 'HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT.' THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE DIRECT TO SXC (I BELIEVE) AND I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE ON AN ASSIGNED HEADING. THE CTLR TURNED US W, THEN S AND ON OUR WAY DIRECT SHOTS/W-291. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY POTENTIAL VIOLATION UNTIL WE WERE ON DSCNT TO ONT AND GIVEN A ZLA PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. I BELIEVE THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING/RESULTING TO THE LOSS OF SEPARATION WERE: 1) MULTIPLE HEADING AND ALT ASSIGNMENTS, AND FREQ CHANGES SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, AND 2) SOCAL DEP CTLR'S LACK OF ASSIGNING A DIRECT FIM ROUTING. THIS IS APPARENTLY WHERE THE CTLR THOUGHT WE WERE GOING PER THE PHONE CONVERSATION TO ZLA AFTER THE INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT THE CAPT HAD TALKED WITH THE CTR SUPVR WHO INDICATED THAT THEY MIGHT BE VIOLATED BUT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE TAPES, CTR AND BUR, HAD TO BE PLAYED. RPTR HAD HEARD NOTHING FURTHER ON THE INCIDENT. RPTR FELT THE INCIDENT WAS A MISCOM BTWN THE APCH AND THE CTR. RPTR SAID THEY DID NOT GET A TCASII ALERT ON THE OTHER B737.

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.

Reported loss of separation between reporter's B737 level at 10000 ft and a second B737 at an altitude 500 ft to 700 ft higher.