Two air carrier opposite direction on same airway at same altitude. Controller corrected before less than standard separation. Operational deviation.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	90939
Time
Date	198807
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
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 descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j191
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	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 : 240 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	90939
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	90852
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We were air carrier X northeast bound to ewr cruising at FL370 [228/100 channel 117.6 (passenger river)] on ZDC 132.02. Told to descend to FL330 (all crew members agreed with clearance to FL330). First officer read back descending to FL330. Passing FL338 at 228/90 channel 117.6 ZDC asked us for our altitude. When we replied that we were at FL338 for FL330, ZDC said that we were only cleared to FL350 and that FL330 had air carrier Y traffic on it. We climbed immediately to FL350 (arrived at 228/94 channel 117.6). Nothing else was said and no indication of a near miss or anything else. All cockpit members remember being cleared to FL330 and not FL350. FL350 would have not been the proper altitude for our direction of flight. If controller had cleared us to FL350, an advisory of descent to FL350 for traffic would have helped. Supplemental information from acn 90852: center frantically told us to climb to FL350--he had air carrier Y traffic at FL330 coming the other way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO ACR OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON SAME AIRWAY AT SAME ALT. CTLR CORRECTED BEFORE LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE WERE ACR X NE BOUND TO EWR CRUISING AT FL370 [228/100 CHANNEL 117.6 (PAX RIVER)] ON ZDC 132.02. TOLD TO DSND TO FL330 (ALL CREW MEMBERS AGREED WITH CLRNC TO FL330). F/O READ BACK DSNDING TO FL330. PASSING FL338 AT 228/90 CHANNEL 117.6 ZDC ASKED US FOR OUR ALT. WHEN WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE AT FL338 FOR FL330, ZDC SAID THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO FL350 AND THAT FL330 HAD ACR Y TFC ON IT. WE CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO FL350 (ARRIVED AT 228/94 CHANNEL 117.6). NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID AND NO INDICATION OF A NEAR MISS OR ANYTHING ELSE. ALL COCKPIT MEMBERS REMEMBER BEING CLRED TO FL330 AND NOT FL350. FL350 WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN THE PROPER ALT FOR OUR DIRECTION OF FLT. IF CTLR HAD CLRED US TO FL350, AN ADVISORY OF DSCNT TO FL350 FOR TFC WOULD HAVE HELPED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 90852: CENTER FRANTICALLY TOLD US TO CLB TO FL350--HE HAD ACR Y TFC AT FL330 COMING THE OTHER WAY.

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.