Close proximity commuter mdt military-MTR.

Attributes
ACN	103340
Time
Date	198901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : igb airport : gtr
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cbm
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	103340
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	103341
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Wbound mdt cleared from 12000 to 3000'. Passing through 7500' we were advised of eastbound MTR at 6000' at 12 O'clock, on an IFR flight plan. At no time was an altitude restriction applied. We were permitted to descend straight toward the MTR. Visibility contact was established at approximately 3 mi. Several seconds later a second voice came on frequency and instructed us to turn left 60 degrees, by which time we had already begun a steep descent to avoid a midair. Upon phoning the columbus approach facility, it was found that the MTR had been assigned 5000' and a frequency change, both of which were missed. Although the MTR was failing to comply with ATC instructions, the entire incident could have been avoided if the mdt, flying into a known conflict, had been restr to 7000' or given an earlier turn. The problem did not lie in the controller's workload distracting him, so much as taking no action while continually watching 2 aircraft converge.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER MDT MIL-MTR.

Narrative: WBOUND MDT CLRED FROM 12000 TO 3000'. PASSING THROUGH 7500' WE WERE ADVISED OF EBND MTR AT 6000' AT 12 O'CLOCK, ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. AT NO TIME WAS AN ALT RESTRICTION APPLIED. WE WERE PERMITTED TO DSND STRAIGHT TOWARD THE MTR. VIS CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED AT APPROX 3 MI. SEVERAL SECS LATER A SECOND VOICE CAME ON FREQ AND INSTRUCTED US TO TURN LEFT 60 DEGS, BY WHICH TIME WE HAD ALREADY BEGUN A STEEP DSCNT TO AVOID A MIDAIR. UPON PHONING THE COLUMBUS APCH FAC, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MTR HAD BEEN ASSIGNED 5000' AND A FREQ CHANGE, BOTH OF WHICH WERE MISSED. ALTHOUGH THE MTR WAS FAILING TO COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS, THE ENTIRE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE MDT, FLYING INTO A KNOWN CONFLICT, HAD BEEN RESTR TO 7000' OR GIVEN AN EARLIER TURN. THE PROB DID NOT LIE IN THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD DISTRACTING HIM, SO MUCH AS TAKING NO ACTION WHILE CONTINUALLY WATCHING 2 ACFT CONVERGE.

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.