Separation loss in ZID between climbing and descending aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	582342
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bwg.vortac
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change descent : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	582342
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

100 NM north of bwg, ZID told us to 'climb to FL310 and expedite through FL260.' as we approached FL240, indy told us to level at our present altitude. We were climbing at approximately 3000 FPM, so advised them that we would stop our climb and descended back to FL240. We were able to stop the climb at FL245 and about that time, we received an RA to descend. Traffic was at 2 O'clock position, and descending through FL250 as we were descending to FL240. I acquired visual contact and advised ATC that we had the traffic in sight and were level at FL240. There was no indication on the radio that the other aircraft was descending without clearance, so I assume the controller misjudged the closure rate causing the loss of separation. The controller then advised us to continue our climb and he handed us off with no mention of the conflict.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SEPARATION LOSS IN ZID BTWN CLBING AND DSNDING ACFT.

Narrative: 100 NM N OF BWG, ZID TOLD US TO 'CLB TO FL310 AND EXPEDITE THROUGH FL260.' AS WE APCHED FL240, INDY TOLD US TO LEVEL AT OUR PRESENT ALT. WE WERE CLBING AT APPROX 3000 FPM, SO ADVISED THEM THAT WE WOULD STOP OUR CLB AND DSNDED BACK TO FL240. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE CLB AT FL245 AND ABOUT THAT TIME, WE RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND. TFC WAS AT 2 O'CLOCK POS, AND DSNDING THROUGH FL250 AS WE WERE DSNDING TO FL240. I ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT AND ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND WERE LEVEL AT FL240. THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE RADIO THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS DSNDING WITHOUT CLRNC, SO I ASSUME THE CTLR MISJUDGED THE CLOSURE RATE CAUSING THE LOSS OF SEPARATION. THE CTLR THEN ADVISED US TO CONTINUE OUR CLB AND HE HANDED US OFF WITH NO MENTION OF THE CONFLICT.

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.