DO328 crew had less than legal separation in ZDC class a airspace.

Attributes
ACN	540279
Time
Date	200203
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sby.vor
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 22000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Do 328 TP (Turboprop)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2916
ASRS Report	540279
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While cruising at FL220, we were alerted by our TCASII of a 'traffic' approaching our path. About 15 seconds later, we received an RA to descend immediately. The first officer was flying, and initiated the descent instantly. The first officer was flying and initiated the descent instantly. We descended 600 ft below our assigned altitude, before we stopped the descent, and cleared the conflict. We then climbed back to FL220 and notified ATC of our deviation. ATC acknowledged the incident, and apologized for having failed to monitor this traffic, which descended through our altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DO328 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION IN ZDC CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL220, WE WERE ALERTED BY OUR TCASII OF A 'TFC' APCHING OUR PATH. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER, WE RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. THE FO WAS FLYING, AND INITIATED THE DSCNT INSTANTLY. THE FO WAS FLYING AND INITIATED THE DSCNT INSTANTLY. WE DSNDED 600 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT, BEFORE WE STOPPED THE DSCNT, AND CLRED THE CONFLICT. WE THEN CLBED BACK TO FL220 AND NOTIFIED ATC OF OUR DEV. ATC ACKNOWLEDGED THE INCIDENT, AND APOLOGIZED FOR HAVING FAILED TO MONITOR THIS TFC, WHICH DSNDED THROUGH OUR ALT.

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.