Narrative:

We were at FL350 on J79 south of savannah when we were cleared direct ormond beach. Not too long after that we were given a descent from FL350 to FL310. At about FL340 we got a TCASII TA showing approaching traffic at FL330. Shortly thereafter, we received a TCASII RA and a call from center to immediately turn right to 270 degrees. As I was initiating the turn and stopping the descent (which I had already began to slow), the first officer spotted the approaching traffic. From the tone of his voice I could tell that we were not in danger of hitting the other aircraft. This information allowed me to complete my aircraft maneuvering smoothly as the fasten seatbelt sign was off and people were up. We were then cleared back on course. When we got to mco, I called ZJX on the telephone and talked to ms X. She indicated the controller working us had been receiving a position (?) check at the time and also that there may have been equipment problems as they did not receive the warnings they should have. TCASII is a good piece of equipment and my first officer did a good job in spotting and calling traffic. Supplemental information from acn 519554: we were heading south of J79 south of sav at FL350. We received a clearance to FL310 and started a descent. At approximately FL340 we received a TCASII TA at 12 O'clock. We searched visually. About 10 seconds later we received a turn clearance to 270 degrees, followed immediately by a TCASII RA to level off. The captain initiated a leveloff and a right turn. I was able to visually acquire the oncoming traffic and identify that we were in no immediate danger that no aggressive maneuver would be required. The captain picked up on my verbal cues and continued the turn gradually and safely (seatbelt sign was off). We probably cleared the other aircraft by 1 1/2 - 3 NM laterally and 300-500 ft vertically at FL330. After aircraft passage, we were cleared on course. We asked for a contact number several mins alter. After landing, the captain called up center and found out that they had been doing a chkout/check ride and there may have also been some sort of equipment failure to notify them of the impending incident. Overall, I believe the ATC had loss of situational awareness temporarily. Fortunately, the TCASII worked as advertised and we responded appropriately.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: N737-300 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SPACING IN ZJX CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL350 ON J79 S OF SAVANNAH WHEN WE WERE CLRED DIRECT ORMOND BEACH. NOT TOO LONG AFTER THAT WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT FROM FL350 TO FL310. AT ABOUT FL340 WE GOT A TCASII TA SHOWING APCHING TFC AT FL330. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA AND A CALL FROM CTR TO IMMEDIATELY TURN R TO 270 DEGS. AS I WAS INITIATING THE TURN AND STOPPING THE DSCNT (WHICH I HAD ALREADY BEGAN TO SLOW), THE FO SPOTTED THE APCHING TFC. FROM THE TONE OF HIS VOICE I COULD TELL THAT WE WERE NOT IN DANGER OF HITTING THE OTHER ACFT. THIS INFO ALLOWED ME TO COMPLETE MY ACFT MANEUVERING SMOOTHLY AS THE FASTEN SEATBELT SIGN WAS OFF AND PEOPLE WERE UP. WE WERE THEN CLRED BACK ON COURSE. WHEN WE GOT TO MCO, I CALLED ZJX ON THE TELEPHONE AND TALKED TO MS X. SHE INDICATED THE CTLR WORKING US HAD BEEN RECEIVING A POS (?) CHK AT THE TIME AND ALSO THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIP PROBS AS THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE WARNINGS THEY SHOULD HAVE. TCASII IS A GOOD PIECE OF EQUIP AND MY FO DID A GOOD JOB IN SPOTTING AND CALLING TFC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 519554: WE WERE HDG S OF J79 S OF SAV AT FL350. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FL310 AND STARTED A DSCNT. AT APPROX FL340 WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA AT 12 O'CLOCK. WE SEARCHED VISUALLY. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER WE RECEIVED A TURN CLRNC TO 270 DEGS, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A TCASII RA TO LEVEL OFF. THE CAPT INITIATED A LEVELOFF AND A R TURN. I WAS ABLE TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE ONCOMING TFC AND IDENT THAT WE WERE IN NO IMMEDIATE DANGER THAT NO AGGRESSIVE MANEUVER WOULD BE REQUIRED. THE CAPT PICKED UP ON MY VERBAL CUES AND CONTINUED THE TURN GRADUALLY AND SAFELY (SEATBELT SIGN WAS OFF). WE PROBABLY CLRED THE OTHER ACFT BY 1 1/2 - 3 NM LATERALLY AND 300-500 FT VERTLY AT FL330. AFTER ACFT PASSAGE, WE WERE CLRED ON COURSE. WE ASKED FOR A CONTACT NUMBER SEVERAL MINS ALTER. AFTER LNDG, THE CAPT CALLED UP CTR AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING A CHKOUT/CHK RIDE AND THERE MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN SOME SORT OF EQUIP FAILURE TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE IMPENDING INCIDENT. OVERALL, I BELIEVE THE ATC HAD LOSS OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS TEMPORARILY. FORTUNATELY, THE TCASII WORKED AS ADVERTISED AND WE RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY.

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.