Carj initiates TCASII climb maneuver due to opposite direction traffic passing at same altitude.

Attributes
ACN	452071
Time
Date	199910
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cxr.vor
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Ice Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Challenger CL604
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1275 flight time type : 170
ASRS Report	452071
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	451953
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 7200 vertical : 1300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

ZOB issued a descent from FL310 to FL280. TCASII warning for traffic at FL290 (aircraft Y) opposite direction. RA to climb. When our aircraft (X) was at FL290, conflict traffic was 10 mi away. We complied with resolution and ATC clearance to FL310, the traffic passed 1700 ft below our aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 452073: carj was given descent to FL280 for converging traffic at FL310. Head on traffic at FL290 was overlooked. Carj jet could have been vectored to assure separation from the other aircraft at FL310. I thought aircraft at FL310 were closer than they actually were after replaying the incident/traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ INITIATES TCASII CLB MANEUVER DUE TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC PASSING AT SAME ALT.

Narrative: ZOB ISSUED A DSCNT FROM FL310 TO FL280. TCASII WARNING FOR TFC AT FL290 (ACFT Y) OPPOSITE DIRECTION. RA TO CLB. WHEN OUR ACFT (X) WAS AT FL290, CONFLICT TFC WAS 10 MI AWAY. WE COMPLIED WITH RESOLUTION AND ATC CLRNC TO FL310, THE TFC PASSED 1700 FT BELOW OUR ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 452073: CARJ WAS GIVEN DSCNT TO FL280 FOR CONVERGING TFC AT FL310. HEAD ON TFC AT FL290 WAS OVERLOOKED. CARJ JET COULD HAVE BEEN VECTORED TO ASSURE SEPARATION FROM THE OTHER ACFT AT FL310. I THOUGHT ACFT AT FL310 WERE CLOSER THAN THEY ACTUALLY WERE AFTER REPLAYING THE INCIDENT/TFC.

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.