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B737 crew at fl 390 receives a turn and descend to FL380 from ZMA controller at about the same time TCAS announces a descend RA.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 734835 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200704 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zma.artcc |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 38000 msl bound upper : 39000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc tower : rhv.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zma.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 71 |
| ASRS Report | 734835 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Just about to enter holding at fortl intersection on the arrival into fll at FL390. ATC issued an immediate turn north and descend to FL380. Just about the same time; we got a TA and immediately thereafter got an RA to descend. At FL390 it was hard to be aggressive and we were slowed to holding speed but we followed the arc on the vsi and leveled at FL380. No passenger comments were heard and the maneuver was very smooth. We kept the other aircraft in sight during the descent and all worked as advertised. Controller did say something to the effect that he was sorry. We acknowledged with 'no problem.' not sure what the separation was and would not classify this as an near midair collision. Not sure what to do for prevention. We were busy and did not notice the same altitude airplane. The system worked well and the controller did identify the problem in time to issue instructions. As far as we know; we were at the correct altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737 CREW AT FL 390 RECEIVES A TURN AND DESCEND TO FL380 FROM ZMA CONTROLLER AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME TCAS ANNOUNCES A DESCEND RA.
Narrative: JUST ABOUT TO ENTER HOLDING AT FORTL INTXN ON THE ARR INTO FLL AT FL390. ATC ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN N AND DSND TO FL380. JUST ABOUT THE SAME TIME; WE GOT A TA AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER GOT AN RA TO DSND. AT FL390 IT WAS HARD TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND WE WERE SLOWED TO HOLDING SPD BUT WE FOLLOWED THE ARC ON THE VSI AND LEVELED AT FL380. NO PAX COMMENTS WERE HEARD AND THE MANEUVER WAS VERY SMOOTH. WE KEPT THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT DURING THE DSCNT AND ALL WORKED AS ADVERTISED. CTLR DID SAY SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT HE WAS SORRY. WE ACKNOWLEDGED WITH 'NO PROB.' NOT SURE WHAT THE SEPARATION WAS AND WOULD NOT CLASSIFY THIS AS AN NMAC. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO FOR PREVENTION. WE WERE BUSY AND DID NOT NOTICE THE SAME ALT AIRPLANE. THE SYS WORKED WELL AND THE CTLR DID IDENT THE PROB IN TIME TO ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS. AS FAR AS WE KNOW; WE WERE AT THE CORRECT ALT.
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.