Flight crew at FL340 with curacao ATC experienced TCAS RA with opposite direction traffic; noting ATC's failure to respond when questioned. No traffic issued.

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Attributes
ACN	773275
Time
Date	200802
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : moloc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : tncf.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ua567.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : tncf.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	enroute airway : ua567.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 255 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	773275
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were level cruise at 34000 ft southbound on UA567 over moloc intersection. Talking to curacao ATC TCAS indicated an opposite direction aircraft at 34000 ft in less than 1 min we got an RA to descend. I disengaged the autoplt and followed the RA. We saw the other jet pass overhead at 300 - 500 ft. We reported to curacao with no response back. We climbed back to FL340 and finished flight. TCAS worked great! ATC is terrible in that part of the world. We must stay alert.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW AT FL340 WITH CURACAO ATC EXPERIENCED TCAS RA WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC; NOTING ATC'S FAILURE TO RESPOND WHEN QUESTIONED. NO TFC ISSUED.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL CRUISE AT 34000 FT SOUTHBOUND ON UA567 OVER MOLOC INTXN. TALKING TO CURACAO ATC TCAS INDICATED AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACFT AT 34000 FT IN LESS THAN 1 MIN WE GOT AN RA TO DSND. I DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT AND FOLLOWED THE RA. WE SAW THE OTHER JET PASS OVERHEAD AT 300 - 500 FT. WE RPTED TO CURACAO WITH NO RESPONSE BACK. WE CLBED BACK TO FL340 AND FINISHED FLT. TCAS WORKED GREAT! ATC IS TERRIBLE IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. WE MUST STAY ALERT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.