A B737-300, wbound at FL290, is given a descent to FL280 and a turn to 180 degrees, missing an eastbound air carrier at FL290 who was turned north, 40 mi southwest of spa, sc.

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Attributes
ACN	508508
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : spa.vortac
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28 msl bound upper : 29
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180
ASRS Report	508508
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 4000
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/conf alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Level at FL290. ZTL asked us our altitude and we confirmed FL290. Controller then asked us to turn left heading 180 degrees from approximately 260 degrees. In the turn, controller told us to descend to FL280. In the middle of the turn and descent, we received an RA to 'descend' followed by 'monitor vertical speed.' air carrier flight was subsequently vectored away from us. We were then reclred back on course and to our original altitude. Supplemental information from acn 508378: the controller told other air carrier to make a left turn to a 360 degree heading. TCASII showed the other aircraft approximately 3 NM and 400 ft above us. After we were clear of traffic, the controller reclred us back to FL290 on course and thanked us for our help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300, WBOUND AT FL290, IS GIVEN A DSCNT TO FL280 AND A TURN TO 180 DEGS, MISSING AN EBOUND ACR AT FL290 WHO WAS TURNED N, 40 MI SW OF SPA, SC.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL290. ZTL ASKED US OUR ALT AND WE CONFIRMED FL290. CTLR THEN ASKED US TO TURN L HDG 180 DEGS FROM APPROX 260 DEGS. IN THE TURN, CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO FL280. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN AND DSCNT, WE RECEIVED AN RA TO 'DSND' FOLLOWED BY 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' ACR FLT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY VECTORED AWAY FROM US. WE WERE THEN RECLRED BACK ON COURSE AND TO OUR ORIGINAL ALT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 508378: THE CTLR TOLD OTHER ACR TO MAKE A L TURN TO A 360 DEG HDG. TCASII SHOWED THE OTHER ACFT APPROX 3 NM AND 400 FT ABOVE US. AFTER WE WERE CLR OF TFC, THE CTLR RECLRED US BACK TO FL290 ON COURSE AND THANKED US FOR OUR HELP.

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.