MD80 flight crew is given a turn clearance by ATC to avoid another aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	703755
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : gck.vortac
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	703755
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	703757
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We had been level at FL340 direct to sso on a heading of 230 degrees; position 70 mi east of gck. ZKC frequency 134.3 instructed us to turn right to 330 degrees and to 'expedite.' the captain turned on the seatbelt sign and made an immediate turn as instructed. In the turn another aircraft was observed at our altitude and came within 8 mi of us on the TCAS display; no RA or TA sounded. We did not see the aircraft visually. The center advised the other aircraft to turn away from us also. After reaching the new heading; we were instructed to turn left and proceed direct sso again. The controller thanked us for the good turn and apologized to us. He said he had become distraction. The captain informed dispatch about the ATC irregularity and followed up with a phone call on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW IS GIVEN A TURN CLRNC BY ATC TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN LEVEL AT FL340 DIRECT TO SSO ON A HDG OF 230 DEGS; POS 70 MI E OF GCK. ZKC FREQ 134.3 INSTRUCTED US TO TURN R TO 330 DEGS AND TO 'EXPEDITE.' THE CAPT TURNED ON THE SEATBELT SIGN AND MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN AS INSTRUCTED. IN THE TURN ANOTHER ACFT WAS OBSERVED AT OUR ALT AND CAME WITHIN 8 MI OF US ON THE TCAS DISPLAY; NO RA OR TA SOUNDED. WE DID NOT SEE THE ACFT VISUALLY. THE CTR ADVISED THE OTHER ACFT TO TURN AWAY FROM US ALSO. AFTER REACHING THE NEW HDG; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L AND PROCEED DIRECT SSO AGAIN. THE CTLR THANKED US FOR THE GOOD TURN AND APOLOGIZED TO US. HE SAID HE HAD BECOME DISTR. THE CAPT INFORMED DISPATCH ABOUT THE ATC IRREGULARITY AND FOLLOWED UP WITH A PHONE CALL ON THE GND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.