CL65 at FL290 with ZAU experienced TCASII RA, controller operational error.

Attributes
ACN	616792
Time
Date	200405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bvt.vortac
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	616792
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Clearance to FL310 confirmed with ZAU. Checked in with next ZAU controller. He repeated our clearance to FL310 which was repeated and confirmed. Next clearance that we heard and repeated was '...FL310, proceed direct des moines.' at that time, we were passing through FL282 at 500 FPM. At about FL290, we received a clearance to 'turn to heading 360 degrees for traffic.' moments later, we received a TA and then an RA to 'climb.' we complied with ATC's directive to turn and the RA's directive to continue to climb. There were no injuries or damage as a result of the conflict. After talking to the ATC manager over the phone, we were told that they reviewed the tapes and there was 'no pilot deviation,' but was 'controller deviation.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 AT FL290 WITH ZAU EXPERIENCED TCASII RA, CTLR OPERROR.

Narrative: CLRNC TO FL310 CONFIRMED WITH ZAU. CHKED IN WITH NEXT ZAU CTLR. HE REPEATED OUR CLRNC TO FL310 WHICH WAS REPEATED AND CONFIRMED. NEXT CLRNC THAT WE HEARD AND REPEATED WAS '...FL310, PROCEED DIRECT DES MOINES.' AT THAT TIME, WE WERE PASSING THROUGH FL282 AT 500 FPM. AT ABOUT FL290, WE RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 'TURN TO HDG 360 DEGS FOR TFC.' MOMENTS LATER, WE RECEIVED A TA AND THEN AN RA TO 'CLB.' WE COMPLIED WITH ATC'S DIRECTIVE TO TURN AND THE RA'S DIRECTIVE TO CONTINUE TO CLB. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE CONFLICT. AFTER TALKING TO THE ATC MGR OVER THE PHONE, WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY REVIEWED THE TAPES AND THERE WAS 'NO PLTDEV,' BUT WAS 'CTLR DEV.'

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.