 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
B777 flight crew encounter TCAS TA with aircraft at same flight level crossing tomax intersection in venezuelan airspace (maiquetia control).
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 719340 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200612 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : svzm.artcc |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 38000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : svzm.artcc tower : okc.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : svzm.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : relief pilot |
| ASRS Report | 719340 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| ASRS Report | 719360 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Aircraft ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
At cruise FL380 on airway UL795 approaching tomax got TCAS amber TA at 2 O'clock position. Showed other airplanes level at FL380 (our altitude). I acquired visual contact with the other aircraft; which was getting closer fast from right to left. I did not wait for a TCAS RA; but disconnected the autoplt and started a gentle climb. I leveled off at 38300 ft as the other airplane passed in front of us at a distance of approximately 2 mi lateral separation. I then returned to FL380. The other airplane queried miq center about the event; but only got reluctant feedback. The chart shows the course for UL795 to be 335 degrees; so our altitude was correct for the direction of flight. The other airplane probably was on airway UA550 with a course of 239 degrees; so FL380 would also be the correct altitude for direction of flight. However; lateral separation was lacking. In light of the recent midair in brazil; we have to remain vigilant and proactive.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B777 FLT CREW ENCOUNTER TCAS TA WITH ACFT AT SAME FLT LEVEL XING TOMAX INTXN IN VENEZUELAN AIRSPACE (MAIQUETIA CTL).
Narrative: AT CRUISE FL380 ON AIRWAY UL795 APCHING TOMAX GOT TCAS AMBER TA AT 2 O'CLOCK POS. SHOWED OTHER AIRPLANES LEVEL AT FL380 (OUR ALT). I ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT; WHICH WAS GETTING CLOSER FAST FROM R TO L. I DID NOT WAIT FOR A TCAS RA; BUT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND STARTED A GENTLE CLB. I LEVELED OFF AT 38300 FT AS THE OTHER AIRPLANE PASSED IN FRONT OF US AT A DISTANCE OF APPROX 2 MI LATERAL SEPARATION. I THEN RETURNED TO FL380. THE OTHER AIRPLANE QUERIED MIQ CTR ABOUT THE EVENT; BUT ONLY GOT RELUCTANT FEEDBACK. THE CHART SHOWS THE COURSE FOR UL795 TO BE 335 DEGS; SO OUR ALT WAS CORRECT FOR THE DIRECTION OF FLT. THE OTHER AIRPLANE PROBABLY WAS ON AIRWAY UA550 WITH A COURSE OF 239 DEGS; SO FL380 WOULD ALSO BE THE CORRECT ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT. HOWEVER; LATERAL SEPARATION WAS LACKING. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT MIDAIR IN BRAZIL; WE HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT AND PROACTIVE.
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.