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Flight crew of a DC9 were given to descent to FL240 whereupon they observed an EMB120 at same altitude and a TCASII RA requesting climb. Flight crew notified ARTCC controller who instructed them to go back to FL250.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 485589 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200009 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : dag.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc tower : rno.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zla.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 485589 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
20 mi prior to daggett VOR, ZLA cleared us from FL280 pilot's discretion to FL240, and then received a frequency change. We checked in with new controller repeating clearance 'out of FL260 to FL240.' new controller acknowledged and then pointed out traffic at our 1 O'clock position, same altitude. Traffic started out 12 or so mi from us. We did not have a visual, but had traffic on TCASII. I noticed traffic (brasilia) on TCASII was at same altitude and on a collision course with us. I told ATC. Controller came back 'you were cleared to FL250.' we immediately climbed to FL250. Nothing else said until we landed in las vegas and ground controller had a number for us to call (ZLA). We called and they wanted to review the tapes. We called back 1 hour or so later. Supervisor at ZLA said it was controller error. The TCASII was the saving grace because I could see conflicting traffic was at our altitude even before I received an RA or TA.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A DC9 WERE GIVEN TO DSCNT TO FL240 WHEREUPON THEY OBSERVED AN EMB120 AT SAME ALT AND A TCASII RA REQUESTING CLB. FLC NOTIFIED ARTCC CTLR WHO INSTRUCTED THEM TO GO BACK TO FL250.
Narrative: 20 MI PRIOR TO DAGGETT VOR, ZLA CLRED US FROM FL280 PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240, AND THEN RECEIVED A FREQ CHANGE. WE CHKED IN WITH NEW CTLR REPEATING CLRNC 'OUT OF FL260 TO FL240.' NEW CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEN POINTED OUT TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS, SAME ALT. TFC STARTED OUT 12 OR SO MI FROM US. WE DID NOT HAVE A VISUAL, BUT HAD TFC ON TCASII. I NOTICED TFC (BRASILIA) ON TCASII WAS AT SAME ALT AND ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH US. I TOLD ATC. CTLR CAME BACK 'YOU WERE CLRED TO FL250.' WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO FL250. NOTHING ELSE SAID UNTIL WE LANDED IN LAS VEGAS AND GND CTLR HAD A NUMBER FOR US TO CALL (ZLA). WE CALLED AND THEY WANTED TO REVIEW THE TAPES. WE CALLED BACK 1 HR OR SO LATER. SUPVR AT ZLA SAID IT WAS CTLR ERROR. THE TCASII WAS THE SAVING GRACE BECAUSE I COULD SEE CONFLICTING TFC WAS AT OUR ALT EVEN BEFORE I RECEIVED AN RA OR TA.
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.