Operational error resulting from a loss of separation between 2 air carrier aircraft at FL330.

Attributes
ACN	464065
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : hpw.vortac
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	464065
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	464068
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Flying northeast inbound to hpw on J209 at FL330, ATC gave us a vector to turn right to 110 degrees. After establishing on the 110 degree heading, I noticed another airplane (Y) on TCASII at FL330 on a converging track. The traffic (Y) was at 2 O'clock position and approximately 8 mi when I first spotted it. The copilot saw the traffic visually and the TCASII sounded a TA 'traffic, traffic' followed quickly by an RA to climb at 2000-3000 FPM. At the same time I started a climb, I told the first officer to tell ATC of our deviation due to an RA. ATC gave the other airplane (Y) a clearance to descend immediately to FL290 and told us to turn to a 360 degree heading. The controller never acknowledged our RA climb. The 'climb' RA changed to a 'monitor vertical speed' command, which allowed me to descend back to FL330 the maximum altitude reached was FL335. The conflicting traffic (Y) passed below and to our rear. The first officer saw him begin his descent before he passed behind us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR RESULTING FROM A LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN 2 ACR ACFT AT FL330.

Narrative: FLYING NE INBOUND TO HPW ON J209 AT FL330, ATC GAVE US A VECTOR TO TURN R TO 110 DEGS. AFTER ESTABLISHING ON THE 110 DEG HDG, I NOTICED ANOTHER AIRPLANE (Y) ON TCASII AT FL330 ON A CONVERGING TRACK. THE TFC (Y) WAS AT 2 O'CLOCK POS AND APPROX 8 MI WHEN I FIRST SPOTTED IT. THE COPLT SAW THE TFC VISUALLY AND THE TCASII SOUNDED A TA 'TFC, TFC' FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY AN RA TO CLB AT 2000-3000 FPM. AT THE SAME TIME I STARTED A CLB, I TOLD THE FO TO TELL ATC OF OUR DEV DUE TO AN RA. ATC GAVE THE OTHER AIRPLANE (Y) A CLRNC TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL290 AND TOLD US TO TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG. THE CTLR NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED OUR RA CLB. THE 'CLB' RA CHANGED TO A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' COMMAND, WHICH ALLOWED ME TO DSND BACK TO FL330 THE MAX ALT REACHED WAS FL335. THE CONFLICTING TFC (Y) PASSED BELOW AND TO OUR REAR. THE FO SAW HIM BEGIN HIS DSCNT BEFORE HE PASSED BEHIND US.

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.