Traffic conflict 20 mi east of bwi at 10000 ft resolved by following a TCASII RA.

Attributes
ACN	510340
Time
Date	200104
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	510340
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Route of flight clearance was dqo V166 belay direct dca direct ldn J134 colns.... First officer was flying on autoplt at 10000 ft MSL. Just past belay intersection, we got a TA on TCASII. Traffic was head-on showing 200 ft below. About 15 seconds later we got an RA for us to climb. We failed to get the traffic in sight. We climbed to 10600 ft when the first officer spotted the traffic going by to our right about 1 NM heading east. We were flying a 'low altitude escape route.' this was something new to myself and the first officer. I don't know if this is company generated or something with ATC to help relieve congestion in the phl/dca area. This routing keeps us at 10000 ft until well passed dca before we climb. I called phl approach to warn them of our RA, but their answer was that we should be talking to bwi. Apparently, phl forgot to switch us. I think that with us at a low altitude without positive control is hazardous. Phl departure was very busy during this time. The first officer and I discussed the possibility that we missed the call but it was doubtful. In any event, a dedicated frequency to control just these flts would cut down on frequency congestion. I shudder to think what might have happened if our TCASII was MEL'ed that day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC CONFLICT 20 MI E OF BWI AT 10000 FT RESOLVED BY FOLLOWING A TCASII RA.

Narrative: RTE OF FLT CLRNC WAS DQO V166 BELAY DIRECT DCA DIRECT LDN J134 COLNS.... FO WAS FLYING ON AUTOPLT AT 10000 FT MSL. JUST PAST BELAY INTXN, WE GOT A TA ON TCASII. TFC WAS HEAD-ON SHOWING 200 FT BELOW. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER WE GOT AN RA FOR US TO CLB. WE FAILED TO GET THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE CLBED TO 10600 FT WHEN THE FO SPOTTED THE TFC GOING BY TO OUR R ABOUT 1 NM HDG E. WE WERE FLYING A 'LOW ALT ESCAPE RTE.' THIS WAS SOMETHING NEW TO MYSELF AND THE FO. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS COMPANY GENERATED OR SOMETHING WITH ATC TO HELP RELIEVE CONGESTION IN THE PHL/DCA AREA. THIS ROUTING KEEPS US AT 10000 FT UNTIL WELL PASSED DCA BEFORE WE CLB. I CALLED PHL APCH TO WARN THEM OF OUR RA, BUT THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING TO BWI. APPARENTLY, PHL FORGOT TO SWITCH US. I THINK THAT WITH US AT A LOW ALT WITHOUT POSITIVE CTL IS HAZARDOUS. PHL DEP WAS VERY BUSY DURING THIS TIME. THE FO AND I DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MISSED THE CALL BUT IT WAS DOUBTFUL. IN ANY EVENT, A DEDICATED FREQUENCY TO CTL JUST THESE FLTS WOULD CUT DOWN ON FREQ CONGESTION. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF OUR TCASII WAS MEL'ED THAT DAY.

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.