B190 flight crew initiates evasive maneuver when observing opposite direction, same altitude, DC9.

Attributes
ACN	444596
Time
Date	199907
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bae.vortac
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach other arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	444596
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

At approximately XA45 local, we were operating as a part 121 scheduled passenger flight with a destination of mke. In cruise flight at 10000 ft, we noticed a target on the TCASII at our altitude and in our 11 O'clock position at 10 mi. I acquired the approaching aircraft visually at approximately 5 mi in front of us. I pointed the aircraft out to the captain and I started to see the approaching aircraft bank left, thus turning towards us. The aircraft was now approximately 2 mi in front of us, still at our altitude, turning toward us and closing at a high rate of speed. The captain and I both agreed evasive action was necessary and just as we got a TA from the TCASII, the captain started a rapid descent to 9000 ft MSL. The other aircraft appeared to stay at their altitude of 10000 ft as it passed over us. This incident occurred at a point at which handoffs are normally made between ZAU and mke approach control. The other aircraft was not on our frequency and we are fairly sure that they were in contact with mke approach. I believe that the fact that we were being controled by ZAU on the 'border' of mke's airspace was a significant factor in the conflict. Sound judgement and good crew coordination proved to be invaluable in this event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B190 FLC INITIATES EVASIVE MANEUVER WHEN OBSERVING OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAME ALT, DC9.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA45 LCL, WE WERE OPERATING AS A PART 121 SCHEDULED PAX FLT WITH A DEST OF MKE. IN CRUISE FLT AT 10000 FT, WE NOTICED A TARGET ON THE TCASII AT OUR ALT AND IN OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AT 10 MI. I ACQUIRED THE APCHING ACFT VISUALLY AT APPROX 5 MI IN FRONT OF US. I POINTED THE ACFT OUT TO THE CAPT AND I STARTED TO SEE THE APCHING ACFT BANK L, THUS TURNING TOWARDS US. THE ACFT WAS NOW APPROX 2 MI IN FRONT OF US, STILL AT OUR ALT, TURNING TOWARD US AND CLOSING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPD. THE CAPT AND I BOTH AGREED EVASIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY AND JUST AS WE GOT A TA FROM THE TCASII, THE CAPT STARTED A RAPID DSCNT TO 9000 FT MSL. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO STAY AT THEIR ALT OF 10000 FT AS IT PASSED OVER US. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT A POINT AT WHICH HDOFS ARE NORMALLY MADE BTWN ZAU AND MKE APCH CTL. THE OTHER ACFT WAS NOT ON OUR FREQ AND WE ARE FAIRLY SURE THAT THEY WERE IN CONTACT WITH MKE APCH. I BELIEVE THAT THE FACT THAT WE WERE BEING CTLED BY ZAU ON THE 'BORDER' OF MKE'S AIRSPACE WAS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THE CONFLICT. SOUND JUDGEMENT AND GOOD CREW COORD PROVED TO BE INVALUABLE IN THIS EVENT.

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.