B757-200 crew had less than legal separation with an air carrier jet in ZAB class a.

Attributes
ACN	536807
Time
Date	200201
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gup.airport
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 33400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	536807
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : took evasive action none taken : detected after the fact other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

ZAB cleared us from FL390 to FL350 while in the descent we were cleared to FL310 maximum forward speed to phx. At FL340 the controller asked us our altitude, the first officer responded FL340 descending to FL310. The controller then turned us to 300 degree heading about a 60 degree turn to the right. While in the turn I had an RA 'climb.' I turned off the autoplt and climbed following the RA. The first officer notified ATC, they then cleared us to climb to FL350. There was an air carrier also going to phx, the controller or we may have made a mistake in the clearance. Our flight number was similar. Also while in the descent to our initial descent altitude, FL350, I was loading new speeds in the FMS, but I think we did not take another aircraft's clearance and I know the first officer read back the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION WITH AN ACR JET IN ZAB CLASS A.

Narrative: ZAB CLRED US FROM FL390 TO FL350 WHILE IN THE DSCNT WE WERE CLRED TO FL310 MAX FORWARD SPD TO PHX. AT FL340 THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT, THE FO RESPONDED FL340 DSNDING TO FL310. THE CTLR THEN TURNED US TO 300 DEG HDG ABOUT A 60 DEG TURN TO THE R. WHILE IN THE TURN I HAD AN RA 'CLB.' I TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND CLBED FOLLOWING THE RA. THE FO NOTIFIED ATC, THEY THEN CLRED US TO CLB TO FL350. THERE WAS AN ACR ALSO GOING TO PHX, THE CTLR OR WE MAY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE IN THE CLRNC. OUR FLT NUMBER WAS SIMILAR. ALSO WHILE IN THE DSCNT TO OUR INITIAL DSCNT ALT, FL350, I WAS LOADING NEW SPDS IN THE FMS, BUT I THINK WE DID NOT TAKE ANOTHER ACFT'S CLRNC AND I KNOW THE FO READ BACK THE CLRNC.

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.