A lear 31A is descended prematurely in the face of lower opposite direction traffic by controller wo...

Attributes
ACN	571654
Time
Date	200302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34700 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.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 : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	571654
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 48000 vertical : 1700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We had descended from FL430 to FL350. ATC issued clearance to descend to FL310. I was flying on autoplt and initiated a descent. I glanced at the TCASII and saw an aircraft 2000 ft below us at FL330, and it was approximately 7-10 mi off to our 2 O'clock position. I looked out to that position and saw the aircraft flying directly towards us. I notified the copilot of the conflict, disengaged the autoplt, and initiated a climb back to FL350. We had descended approximately 300 ft. ATC recognized the conflict and told us to immediately climb back to FL350, and to report reaching. We were able to verify that we were level at FL350, had seen the conflict, and initiated the climb. The controller thanked us for quickly getting to altitude, and no further mention was made of the incident. The commercial aircraft passed directly under us. WX was not a factor. There appeared to be a normal level of controller workload.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LEAR 31A IS DSNDED PREMATURELY IN THE FACE OF LOWER OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC BY CTLR WORKING ZTL, GA.

Narrative: WE HAD DSNDED FROM FL430 TO FL350. ATC ISSUED CLRNC TO DSND TO FL310. I WAS FLYING ON AUTOPLT AND INITIATED A DSCNT. I GLANCED AT THE TCASII AND SAW AN ACFT 2000 FT BELOW US AT FL330, AND IT WAS APPROX 7-10 MI OFF TO OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS. I LOOKED OUT TO THAT POS AND SAW THE ACFT FLYING DIRECTLY TOWARDS US. I NOTIFIED THE COPLT OF THE CONFLICT, DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT, AND INITIATED A CLB BACK TO FL350. WE HAD DSNDED APPROX 300 FT. ATC RECOGNIZED THE CONFLICT AND TOLD US TO IMMEDIATELY CLB BACK TO FL350, AND TO RPT REACHING. WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT WE WERE LEVEL AT FL350, HAD SEEN THE CONFLICT, AND INITIATED THE CLB. THE CTLR THANKED US FOR QUICKLY GETTING TO ALT, AND NO FURTHER MENTION WAS MADE OF THE INCIDENT. THE COMMERCIAL ACFT PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER US. WX WAS NOT A FACTOR. THERE APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL LEVEL OF CTLR WORKLOAD.

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.

A lear 31A is descended prematurely in the face of lower opposite direction traffic by controller working ZTL, GA.