B747 crew at FL350 in foreign airspace respond to a TCASII RA. Traffic was a B747 opposite direction...

Attributes
ACN	457248
Time
Date	199912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : calma
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : rjtg.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 195
ASRS Report	457248
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

PIC of air carrier B747-400 eastbound on assigned track at FL350. Received TCASII TA quickly, followed by TCASII climb RA. Complied with TCASII RA per procedure. Traffic was an opposite direction B747 at same altitude. ATC was queried and acknowledged they had cleared this aircraft to FL350 by mistake. This was a serious breakdown in ATC procedure and were it not for TCASII, could very well have resulted in a major catastrophe. I'm sure an investigation will ensue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747 CREW AT FL350 IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE RESPOND TO A TCASII RA. TFC WAS A B747 OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT FL350.

Narrative: PIC OF ACR B747-400 EBOUND ON ASSIGNED TRACK AT FL350. RECEIVED TCASII TA QUICKLY, FOLLOWED BY TCASII CLB RA. COMPLIED WITH TCASII RA PER PROC. TFC WAS AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION B747 AT SAME ALT. ATC WAS QUERIED AND ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAD CLRED THIS ACFT TO FL350 BY MISTAKE. THIS WAS A SERIOUS BREAKDOWN IN ATC PROC AND WERE IT NOT FOR TCASII, COULD VERY WELL HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR CATASTROPHE. I'M SURE AN INVESTIGATION WILL ENSUE.

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.

B747 crew at FL350 in foreign airspace respond to a TCASII RA. Traffic was a B747 opposite direction at FL350.