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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Air carrier put on vector heading for climb, and then made turn back toward flight plan route after reaching altitude. Set up a potential conflict with opposite direction traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 86852 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198805 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fkn |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zdc |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 86852 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10200 flight time type : 7000 |
| ASRS Report | 87009 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
Approaching katzn intersection swbound on J-79 we received clearance to 'maintain present heading for climb. Climb to FL350.' two to three minutes after reaching FL350 and being at katzn intersection. We turned to intercept J-193 having complied with our clearance to maintain present heading for climb. While in our turn ATC asked our heading and gave us a tight turn to 270 degree opposite direction traffic climbing to FL370. He then asked that traffic to say altitude. They reported level at 370 and ATC cleared us back on course. In high density traffic areas with continual radio transmissions making it difficult to question ATC instructions, all effort should be taken to issue instructions with a minimum change of misunderstanding. I feel that this type of potential conflict could be avoided by a direct heading assignment when an aircraft is due to turn on course at or near the climb point. Supplemental information from acn # 87009: the clearance should have been more specific and I should have been quicker in voicing my doubts about turning.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR PUT ON VECTOR HDG FOR CLIMB, AND THEN MADE TURN BACK TOWARD FLT PLAN ROUTE AFTER REACHING ALT. SET UP A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TRAFFIC.
Narrative: APCHING KATZN INTERSECTION SWBOUND ON J-79 WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO 'MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG FOR CLIMB. CLIMB TO FL350.' TWO TO THREE MINUTES AFTER REACHING FL350 AND BEING AT KATZN INTERSECTION. WE TURNED TO INTERCEPT J-193 HAVING COMPLIED WITH OUR CLRNC TO MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG FOR CLIMB. WHILE IN OUR TURN ATC ASKED OUR HEADING AND GAVE US A TIGHT TURN TO 270 DEG OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC CLIMBING TO FL370. HE THEN ASKED THAT TFC TO SAY ALT. THEY REPORTED LEVEL AT 370 AND ATC CLRED US BACK ON COURSE. IN HIGH DENSITY TFC AREAS WITH CONTINUAL RADIO TRANSMISSIONS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO QUESTION ATC INSTRUCTIONS, ALL EFFORT SHOULD BE TAKEN TO ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS WITH A MINIMUM CHANGE OF MISUNDERSTANDING. I FEEL THAT THIS TYPE OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT COULD BE AVOIDED BY A DIRECT HEADING ASSIGNMENT WHEN AN ACFT IS DUE TO TURN ON COURSE AT OR NEAR THE CLIMB POINT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN # 87009: THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC AND I SHOULD HAVE BEEN QUICKER IN VOICING MY DOUBTS ABOUT TURNING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.