DC10 and MD80 had less than legal separation in skec class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	502973
Time
Date	200102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : kiler.nesmo
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : skec.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : vg430.airway enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : skec.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : foreign
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : vg430.airway enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	502973
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Cruising at FL290 on VG430 between kiler intersection and nesmo intersection, we got a close-in TCASII RA to climb. The target approached us from underneath and was inside 1-2 NM when we got the warning. By then his TCASII had gone off, he had pushed over back to FL280. We were both on centerline of the airway. Baq control had cleared him to FL310. I requested a supervisor and a new voice reported that the controller had been replaced. The foreign air carrier crew did great. Their reaction prevented a tragedy and for the next 10 mins he vented his anger/wrath upon the center. My TCASII was in the normal 40 NM range. My aircraft has a look-down capability increasing the window from normal -- above 2700 ft and below 2700 ft, to above 2700 ft and below 8900 ft. I will use the increased window capability in the future, but you never can guess the direction of 'attack.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 AND MD80 HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION IN SKEC CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CRUISING AT FL290 ON VG430 BTWN KILER INTXN AND NESMO INTXN, WE GOT A CLOSE-IN TCASII RA TO CLB. THE TARGET APCHED US FROM UNDERNEATH AND WAS INSIDE 1-2 NM WHEN WE GOT THE WARNING. BY THEN HIS TCASII HAD GONE OFF, HE HAD PUSHED OVER BACK TO FL280. WE WERE BOTH ON CTRLINE OF THE AIRWAY. BAQ CTL HAD CLRED HIM TO FL310. I REQUESTED A SUPVR AND A NEW VOICE RPTED THAT THE CTLR HAD BEEN REPLACED. THE FOREIGN ACR CREW DID GREAT. THEIR REACTION PREVENTED A TRAGEDY AND FOR THE NEXT 10 MINS HE VENTED HIS ANGER/WRATH UPON THE CTR. MY TCASII WAS IN THE NORMAL 40 NM RANGE. MY ACFT HAS A LOOK-DOWN CAPABILITY INCREASING THE WINDOW FROM NORMAL -- ABOVE 2700 FT AND BELOW 2700 FT, TO ABOVE 2700 FT AND BELOW 8900 FT. I WILL USE THE INCREASED WINDOW CAPABILITY IN THE FUTURE, BUT YOU NEVER CAN GUESS THE DIRECTION OF 'ATTACK.'

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.