B747 PIC sites opposite direction wbound B747 traffic on same route and questions ARTCC controller. PIC asks again when controller does not respond. Controller descends eastbound B747, but opposite direction passes 2 mi on left side. Controller advises incident under investigation.

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Attributes
ACN	395773
Time
Date	199803
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ehn
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747-100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	395773
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While at cruise, FL350, eastbound on A590, saw opposite direction traffic. Asked ATC about the traffic, got no answer. Saw traffic turn and would obviously be clear of our path, asked ATC again and was told to descend to FL330 as the traffic passed our left side by approximately 1-2 mi and above by 500 ft. Zan said an investigation would commence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 PIC SITES OPPOSITE DIRECTION WBOUND B747 TFC ON SAME RTE AND QUESTIONS ARTCC CTLR. PIC ASKS AGAIN WHEN CTLR DOES NOT RESPOND. CTLR DSNDS EBOUND B747, BUT OPPOSITE DIRECTION PASSES 2 MI ON L SIDE. CTLR ADVISES INCIDENT UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE, FL350, EBOUND ON A590, SAW OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. ASKED ATC ABOUT THE TFC, GOT NO ANSWER. SAW TFC TURN AND WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE CLR OF OUR PATH, ASKED ATC AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO DSND TO FL330 AS THE TFC PASSED OUR L SIDE BY APPROX 1-2 MI AND ABOVE BY 500 FT. ZAN SAID AN INVESTIGATION WOULD COMMENCE.

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.