Loss of separation resulting in immediate descent clearance issued to reporter flight.

Attributes
ACN	114349
Time
Date	198906
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bkw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30500 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j42
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other 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 : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	114349
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Departed bna for dca. Near J42 on direct heading to bkw. Cleared to climb to FL330. Climbing out of 30.5 ZME controller gave 'immediate descent to FL290 and immediate left turn to 040 degree'. Said 'I need you level in 30 seconds'. We complied immediately. Gave instructions to another air carrier aircraft that was at 31,000, converging with us. We did eventually see the other aircraft above us, no closer than about 1-2 miles/2000'. Possible contributing factors: many aircraft deviating around WX, particularly wbnds and sbnds. IFF squawk change a few min prior to incident from XXXX to XXXY. Controller indicated a mixup at center, which required immediate action to resolve.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF SEPARATION RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE DESCENT CLRNC ISSUED TO REPORTER FLT.

Narrative: DEPARTED BNA FOR DCA. NEAR J42 ON DIRECT HDG TO BKW. CLRED TO CLIMB TO FL330. CLIMBING OUT OF 30.5 ZME CTLR GAVE 'IMMEDIATE DESCENT TO FL290 AND IMMEDIATE LEFT TURN TO 040 DEG'. SAID 'I NEED YOU LEVEL IN 30 SECONDS'. WE COMPLIED IMMEDIATELY. GAVE INSTRUCTIONS TO ANOTHER AIR CARRIER ACFT THAT WAS AT 31,000, CONVERGING WITH US. WE DID EVENTUALLY SEE THE OTHER ACFT ABOVE US, NO CLOSER THAN ABOUT 1-2 MILES/2000'. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MANY ACFT DEVIATING AROUND WX, PARTICULARLY WBNDS AND SBNDS. IFF SQUAWK CHANGE A FEW MIN PRIOR TO INCIDENT FROM XXXX TO XXXY. CTLR INDICATED A MIXUP AT CENTER, WHICH REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ACTION TO RESOLVE.

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.