Aircraft cruising at FL280 experienced TCASII RA in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	579955
Time
Date	200304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : iso.vortac
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.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 : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	579955
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 600 vertical : 2500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Cruise, FL280, 160 NM north iso VOR, ZDC. TCASII TA converging traffic same altitude. TCASII/RA to descend -- maximum descent/traffic not observed. Descent initiated. Center advised. In descent, traffic observed and idented visually. Continued TCASII/RA descent to FL270 per TCASII/RA directions. Traffic passed approximately 1/4 mi from aircraft, approximately 600 ft above (air carrier aircraft). Center directed avoidance turns and recovery to FL280 direct iso.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT CRUISING AT FL280 EXPERIENCED TCASII RA IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CRUISE, FL280, 160 NM N ISO VOR, ZDC. TCASII TA CONVERGING TFC SAME ALT. TCASII/RA TO DSND -- MAX DSCNT/TFC NOT OBSERVED. DSCNT INITIATED. CTR ADVISED. IN DSCNT, TFC OBSERVED AND IDENTED VISUALLY. CONTINUED TCASII/RA DSCNT TO FL270 PER TCASII/RA DIRECTIONS. TFC PASSED APPROX 1/4 MI FROM ACFT, APPROX 600 FT ABOVE (ACR ACFT). CTR DIRECTED AVOIDANCE TURNS AND RECOVERY TO FL280 DIRECT ISO.

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.