B737 crew, in contact with tncc, observed TCASII traffic climbing opposite direction toward their fl...

Attributes
ACN	579267
Time
Date	200304
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : tncc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : a315.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : tncc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	579267
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While in cruise at FL330 along A-315, I noticed an unidented aircraft in the TCASII 30 mi from our position in a climb 1700 ft below us. Aircraft was at 12 O'clock position. When the aircraft was 16 mi from us and 700 ft below, still in a climb, I made a left turn off course about 40 degrees. At the same time the first officer called ATC and reported the oncoming aircraft and our turn off course. We then heard ATC say, air carrier Y, descend to FL310. The air carrier Y aircraft passed about 500 ft below us and 1 mi to our right. Since we were turning and the air carrier Y was starting to descend, we only received a TA on the TCASII. We called curaco control to find out what happened and ATC reported that air carrier Y was cleared from FL310 to FL370 right along our path of flight, A-315. After the incident we returned to our route and proceeded on to ccs. Both air carrier Y and ATC said that they would file a report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW, IN CONTACT WITH TNCC, OBSERVED TCASII TFC CLBING OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOWARD THEIR FLT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL330 ALONG A-315, I NOTICED AN UNIDENTED ACFT IN THE TCASII 30 MI FROM OUR POS IN A CLB 1700 FT BELOW US. ACFT WAS AT 12 O'CLOCK POS. WHEN THE ACFT WAS 16 MI FROM US AND 700 FT BELOW, STILL IN A CLB, I MADE A L TURN OFF COURSE ABOUT 40 DEGS. AT THE SAME TIME THE FO CALLED ATC AND RPTED THE ONCOMING ACFT AND OUR TURN OFF COURSE. WE THEN HEARD ATC SAY, ACR Y, DSND TO FL310. THE ACR Y ACFT PASSED ABOUT 500 FT BELOW US AND 1 MI TO OUR R. SINCE WE WERE TURNING AND THE ACR Y WAS STARTING TO DSND, WE ONLY RECEIVED A TA ON THE TCASII. WE CALLED CURACO CTL TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND ATC RPTED THAT ACR Y WAS CLRED FROM FL310 TO FL370 RIGHT ALONG OUR PATH OF FLT, A-315. AFTER THE INCIDENT WE RETURNED TO OUR RTE AND PROCEEDED ON TO CCS. BOTH ACR Y AND ATC SAID THAT THEY WOULD FILE A RPT.

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.

B737 crew, in contact with tncc, observed TCASII traffic climbing opposite direction toward their flight.