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An attempt by an ARTCC controller to apply visual separation between a climbing B737 and traffic in cruise at 17000 ft resulted in a TCASII event.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 570236 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200212 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bos.airport |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 16000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 570236 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Departing bos, we were cleared to 16000 ft and handed off to ZBW. The controller asked us if we had traffic ahead at 17000 ft. We reported 'no contact.' the controller then asked the other aircraft if he had us, and he said, 'yes.' she then asked the other aircraft if he could maintain visual separation with us, and he said, 'yes.' she then gave us a climb clearance to 23000 ft and said the other aircraft had us in sight. This seemed strange to me, but we started a climb to 23000 ft. Shortly thereafter, we got a TA on TCASII, followed by an RA to descend. We descended back to 16000 ft, and the traffic passed overhead. I expressed my concern with the controller about what had just happened, but she insisted everything was done correctly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ATTEMPT BY AN ARTCC CTLR TO APPLY VISUAL SEPARATION BTWN A CLBING B737 AND TFC IN CRUISE AT 17000 FT RESULTED IN A TCASII EVENT.
Narrative: DEPARTING BOS, WE WERE CLRED TO 16000 FT AND HANDED OFF TO ZBW. THE CTLR ASKED US IF WE HAD TFC AHEAD AT 17000 FT. WE RPTED 'NO CONTACT.' THE CTLR THEN ASKED THE OTHER ACFT IF HE HAD US, AND HE SAID, 'YES.' SHE THEN ASKED THE OTHER ACFT IF HE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH US, AND HE SAID, 'YES.' SHE THEN GAVE US A CLB CLRNC TO 23000 FT AND SAID THE OTHER ACFT HAD US IN SIGHT. THIS SEEMED STRANGE TO ME, BUT WE STARTED A CLB TO 23000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE GOT A TA ON TCASII, FOLLOWED BY AN RA TO DSND. WE DSNDED BACK TO 16000 FT, AND THE TFC PASSED OVERHEAD. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN WITH THE CTLR ABOUT WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED, BUT SHE INSISTED EVERYTHING WAS DONE CORRECTLY.
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.