ZOB radar controller issues descent clearance to A320 and xfers communication to the next sector, th...

Attributes
ACN	422861
Time
Date	199812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : djb
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	422861
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 11
ASRS Report	422864
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 23400 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

2 aircraft in the sector above ours were being vectored and descended. Aircraft X came on our frequency reporting level at FL270. I did not hear this due to being busy with my d-side duties. When I looked at the radar, I noticed the data block showed FL270 descending to FL240. The radar controller did not ask me to coordinate for lower with the previous controller, so I did not know that he was level at FL270 and not in a descent. I then overheard the previous radar controller call the radar controller at my sector and ask him to push aircraft #1 down. The radar controller attempted to do so, calling the aircraft several times with a descent clearance, but aircraft #1 would not answer. When the aircraft did answer, he stated he was responding to a TCASII RA and was climbing. At virtually the same time the conflict alert activated showing another aircraft at FL270. I immediately notified the previous radar controller of the TCASII RA response and that the aircraft was climbing. Supplemental information from acn 422864: aircraft #1 had been vectored for in trail spacing. He had also been stepped down on altitude because of other traffic. Aircraft #1 was given a heading for the dxo 147 degree radial and descended from FL270 to FL240, assigned an airspeed and communications xfer to frequency 127.9. Aircraft #2 at FL280 was given descent to FL270 to start descent into day. Aircraft #1 checked in and the call sign had to be verified. I noticed aircraft #1 had not descended to FL240. Called crl control position to get aircraft #1 'pushed' down. Crl d-side called to say aircraft #1 had an RA and was climbing. Aircraft #2 was assigned FL280, heading, then descended to FL260. Several aircraft had to be reissued clrncs. Supplemental information from acn 422865: aircraft #1 was given a descent clearance and a turn. Aircraft #1 read back the turn but not the descent. Aircraft #1 continued to fly at that altitude for 20 mi. With only 15 mi to the intersection that the aircraft had to cross at 12000 ft (on approach plate), I would have thought the pilot would have asked for lower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB RADAR CTLR ISSUES DSCNT CLRNC TO A320 AND XFERS COM TO THE NEXT SECTOR, THEN DSNDS A DC8 TO THE EXPECTED VACATED ALT. THE A320 DOES NOT DSND INITIALLY AND WHEN IT DOES, INITIATES A TCASII CLB BACK TO PREVIOUS ALT, CONFLICTING WITH DSNDING DC8.

Narrative: 2 ACFT IN THE SECTOR ABOVE OURS WERE BEING VECTORED AND DSNDED. ACFT X CAME ON OUR FREQ RPTING LEVEL AT FL270. I DID NOT HEAR THIS DUE TO BEING BUSY WITH MY D-SIDE DUTIES. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE RADAR, I NOTICED THE DATA BLOCK SHOWED FL270 DSNDING TO FL240. THE RADAR CTLR DID NOT ASK ME TO COORDINATE FOR LOWER WITH THE PREVIOUS CTLR, SO I DID NOT KNOW THAT HE WAS LEVEL AT FL270 AND NOT IN A DSCNT. I THEN OVERHEARD THE PREVIOUS RADAR CTLR CALL THE RADAR CTLR AT MY SECTOR AND ASK HIM TO PUSH ACFT #1 DOWN. THE RADAR CTLR ATTEMPTED TO DO SO, CALLING THE ACFT SEVERAL TIMES WITH A DSCNT CLRNC, BUT ACFT #1 WOULD NOT ANSWER. WHEN THE ACFT DID ANSWER, HE STATED HE WAS RESPONDING TO A TCASII RA AND WAS CLBING. AT VIRTUALLY THE SAME TIME THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED SHOWING ANOTHER ACFT AT FL270. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE PREVIOUS RADAR CTLR OF THE TCASII RA RESPONSE AND THAT THE ACFT WAS CLBING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 422864: ACFT #1 HAD BEEN VECTORED FOR IN TRAIL SPACING. HE HAD ALSO BEEN STEPPED DOWN ON ALT BECAUSE OF OTHER TFC. ACFT #1 WAS GIVEN A HDG FOR THE DXO 147 DEG RADIAL AND DSNDED FROM FL270 TO FL240, ASSIGNED AN AIRSPD AND COMS XFER TO FREQ 127.9. ACFT #2 AT FL280 WAS GIVEN DSCNT TO FL270 TO START DSCNT INTO DAY. ACFT #1 CHKED IN AND THE CALL SIGN HAD TO BE VERIFIED. I NOTICED ACFT #1 HAD NOT DSNDED TO FL240. CALLED CRL CTL POS TO GET ACFT #1 'PUSHED' DOWN. CRL D-SIDE CALLED TO SAY ACFT #1 HAD AN RA AND WAS CLBING. ACFT #2 WAS ASSIGNED FL280, HDG, THEN DSNDED TO FL260. SEVERAL ACFT HAD TO BE REISSUED CLRNCS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 422865: ACFT #1 WAS GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC AND A TURN. ACFT #1 READ BACK THE TURN BUT NOT THE DSCNT. ACFT #1 CONTINUED TO FLY AT THAT ALT FOR 20 MI. WITH ONLY 15 MI TO THE INTXN THAT THE ACFT HAD TO CROSS AT 12000 FT (ON APCH PLATE), I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE PLT WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR LOWER.

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.

ZOB radar controller issues descent clearance to A320 and xfers communication to the next sector, then descends a DC8 to the expected vacated altitude. The A320 does not descend initially and when it does, initiates a TCASII climb back to previous altitude, conflicting with descending DC8.