Narrative:

I was working the radar controller position of a very saturated, extremely complex sector, with every aircraft deviating and numerous traffic sits. I had a handoff/coordinator position, and an assistant radar controller. Air carrier XXX (B757) checked on frequency deviating at FL370. I assigned a 100 degree heading for traffic, approximately his present heading. I was sure this heading was good around the WX because I had several aircraft going through the hole at the same place -- in fact, another aircraft at FL370, 35 mi straight ahead. The pilot said he was unable due to WX. I then went to plan B, which was to move the DC10 headed opposite direction at FL370. The DC10 was there because of a 3-WAY tie at FL390 (his original altitude) and traffic below at FL350, which he was just clearing by 5 mi. I issued the descent clearance and the pilot acknowledged. A couple mins later, the DC10 still showed level at FL370. At this point, the situation was becoming imminent, and I issued a traffic alert with an 'immediate' descent clearance, and once again went back to air carrier XXX and issued a traffic alert with a right turn to 100 degrees. Both pilots acknowledged. Approximately 1 min later, the DC10 still showed level at FL370 and the conflict alert was flashing with both planes head-on. I issued a right turn of approximately 40 degrees, and restated my traffic alert phraseology with added emphasis. This time as the pilots acknowledged, I could hear the TCASII in the backgnd going off. Finally, the DC10 descended and turned, and the B757 appeared to turn also. As an added note, the belligerent pilot of the B757 proceeded to badger me repeatedly on the frequency about 'my causing him to have a TCASII RA,' and demanding to know what that was all about. He proceeded to block several of my xmissions and the xmissions of other aircraft on frequency during a saturated session with about 35-40 targets. Later, both pilots called the supervisor, at his instruction. Apparently, the DC10 autoplt had 'disengaged without his knowledge' and he dialed in the altitude of FL350 and nothing happened. On my third call to him, he said he realized what had happened and pushed the nose down manually into a 6000 FPM descent and took my turn at a 45 degree bank angle. The pilot of the B757 admitted that he did not take my turn (even though he acknowledged the vector) until he got a TCASII RA telling him to do so. He argued with the supervisor about his involvement in the incident, but finally conceded that the action I took 'probably saved the day.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 AND DC10 ARE BOTH DEVIATING TO AVOID CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. LTSS RESULTS WHEN THE CREWS WERE SLOW ON RESPONDING TO CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR CTLR POS OF A VERY SATURATED, EXTREMELY COMPLEX SECTOR, WITH EVERY ACFT DEVIATING AND NUMEROUS TFC SITS. I HAD A HDOF/COORDINATOR POS, AND AN ASSISTANT RADAR CTLR. ACR XXX (B757) CHKED ON FREQ DEVIATING AT FL370. I ASSIGNED A 100 DEG HDG FOR TFC, APPROX HIS PRESENT HDG. I WAS SURE THIS HDG WAS GOOD AROUND THE WX BECAUSE I HAD SEVERAL ACFT GOING THROUGH THE HOLE AT THE SAME PLACE -- IN FACT, ANOTHER ACFT AT FL370, 35 MI STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE DUE TO WX. I THEN WENT TO PLAN B, WHICH WAS TO MOVE THE DC10 HEADED OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT FL370. THE DC10 WAS THERE BECAUSE OF A 3-WAY TIE AT FL390 (HIS ORIGINAL ALT) AND TFC BELOW AT FL350, WHICH HE WAS JUST CLRING BY 5 MI. I ISSUED THE DSCNT CLRNC AND THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. A COUPLE MINS LATER, THE DC10 STILL SHOWED LEVEL AT FL370. AT THIS POINT, THE SIT WAS BECOMING IMMINENT, AND I ISSUED A TFC ALERT WITH AN 'IMMEDIATE' DSCNT CLRNC, AND ONCE AGAIN WENT BACK TO ACR XXX AND ISSUED A TFC ALERT WITH A R TURN TO 100 DEGS. BOTH PLTS ACKNOWLEDGED. APPROX 1 MIN LATER, THE DC10 STILL SHOWED LEVEL AT FL370 AND THE CONFLICT ALERT WAS FLASHING WITH BOTH PLANES HEAD-ON. I ISSUED A R TURN OF APPROX 40 DEGS, AND RESTATED MY TFC ALERT PHRASEOLOGY WITH ADDED EMPHASIS. THIS TIME AS THE PLTS ACKNOWLEDGED, I COULD HEAR THE TCASII IN THE BACKGND GOING OFF. FINALLY, THE DC10 DSNDED AND TURNED, AND THE B757 APPEARED TO TURN ALSO. AS AN ADDED NOTE, THE BELLIGERENT PLT OF THE B757 PROCEEDED TO BADGER ME REPEATEDLY ON THE FREQ ABOUT 'MY CAUSING HIM TO HAVE A TCASII RA,' AND DEMANDING TO KNOW WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT. HE PROCEEDED TO BLOCK SEVERAL OF MY XMISSIONS AND THE XMISSIONS OF OTHER ACFT ON FREQ DURING A SATURATED SESSION WITH ABOUT 35-40 TARGETS. LATER, BOTH PLTS CALLED THE SUPVR, AT HIS INSTRUCTION. APPARENTLY, THE DC10 AUTOPLT HAD 'DISENGAGED WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE' AND HE DIALED IN THE ALT OF FL350 AND NOTHING HAPPENED. ON MY THIRD CALL TO HIM, HE SAID HE REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN MANUALLY INTO A 6000 FPM DSCNT AND TOOK MY TURN AT A 45 DEG BANK ANGLE. THE PLT OF THE B757 ADMITTED THAT HE DID NOT TAKE MY TURN (EVEN THOUGH HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE VECTOR) UNTIL HE GOT A TCASII RA TELLING HIM TO DO SO. HE ARGUED WITH THE SUPVR ABOUT HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE INCIDENT, BUT FINALLY CONCEDED THAT THE ACTION I TOOK 'PROBABLY SAVED THE DAY.'

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.