C5 military pilot takes the initiative to adjust climb rate observing conflict with A320 while under...

Attributes
ACN	542952
Time
Date	200204
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Lockheed Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25800 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were climbing out of FL310 when the crew noticed another aircraft on the TCASII about 14 NM climbing through the same altitude. The other aircraft appeared to be heading toward us. I increased the rate of climb to get vertical separation. At the same time, ATC gave us an assigned heading of 040 degrees. The copilot read back 'left turn 040 degrees.' he assigned the other aircraft a heading of 260 degrees. About 30 seconds later, we received a traffic alert on the TCASII. It alerted at the aircraft about 1000 ft below us. It seems the other aircraft decreased its climb. We were now level at FL330. At this time, ATC asked us our heading and the copilot responded '040 degrees.' it seemed to me separation was maintained between the aircraft, but that was because both aircraft were TCASII equipped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C5 MIL PLT TAKES THE INITIATIVE TO ADJUST CLB RATE OBSERVING CONFLICT WITH A320 WHILE UNDER ZLA CTL.

Narrative: WE WERE CLBING OUT OF FL310 WHEN THE CREW NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT ON THE TCASII ABOUT 14 NM CLBING THROUGH THE SAME ALT. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE HEADING TOWARD US. I INCREASED THE RATE OF CLB TO GET VERT SEPARATION. AT THE SAME TIME, ATC GAVE US AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 040 DEGS. THE COPLT READ BACK 'L TURN 040 DEGS.' HE ASSIGNED THE OTHER ACFT A HDG OF 260 DEGS. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, WE RECEIVED A TFC ALERT ON THE TCASII. IT ALERTED AT THE ACFT ABOUT 1000 FT BELOW US. IT SEEMS THE OTHER ACFT DECREASED ITS CLB. WE WERE NOW LEVEL AT FL330. AT THIS TIME, ATC ASKED US OUR HDG AND THE COPLT RESPONDED '040 DEGS.' IT SEEMED TO ME SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED BTWN THE ACFT, BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE BOTH ACFT WERE TCASII EQUIPPED.

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.

C5 military pilot takes the initiative to adjust climb rate observing conflict with A320 while under ZLA control.