Air carrier Y descended unauthorized descent to occupiked altitude had less than standard separation...

Attributes
ACN	155146
Time
Date	199008
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7800 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bos
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
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	155146
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X climbing out on the logan 7 departure from runway 22L being vectored by bos departure control. We were turned westbound (heading 270 degrees) and cleared to 8000'. Departure indicated there was air carrier Y descending into bos, descending to 9000'. Approximately 8-10 south of logan, air carrier Y crossed in front of us as departure control simultaneously told us to look for traffic crossing left to right descending to 9000' and 'less than a mile.' I was just landing at 8000' (in fact I was still at about 7800') when air carrier Y crossed directly in front of us on a north heading. He appeared to be much lower than 9000'. I would judge him to have been at or perhaps slightly above my altitude of 7800' when he crossed. I inquired of departure control as to what altitude he was at. The response was that he appeared to have been lower than 9000'. We were then cleared to a higher altitude (14000') and I remarked to the controller that 'that was close!'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR Y DESCENDED UNAUTH DESCENT TO OCCUPIKED ALT HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION WITH ACR X.

Narrative: ACR X CLBING OUT ON THE LOGAN 7 DEP FROM RWY 22L BEING VECTORED BY BOS DEP CTL. WE WERE TURNED WBND (HDG 270 DEGS) AND CLRED TO 8000'. DEP INDICATED THERE WAS ACR Y DSNDING INTO BOS, DSNDING TO 9000'. APPROX 8-10 S OF LOGAN, ACR Y CROSSED IN FRONT OF US AS DEP CTL SIMULTANEOUSLY TOLD US TO LOOK FOR TFC XING LEFT TO RIGHT DSNDING TO 9000' AND 'LESS THAN A MILE.' I WAS JUST LNDG AT 8000' (IN FACT I WAS STILL AT ABOUT 7800') WHEN ACR Y CROSSED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US ON A N HDG. HE APPEARED TO BE MUCH LOWER THAN 9000'. I WOULD JUDGE HIM TO HAVE BEEN AT OR PERHAPS SLIGHTLY ABOVE MY ALT OF 7800' WHEN HE CROSSED. I INQUIRED OF DEP CTL AS TO WHAT ALT HE WAS AT. THE RESPONSE WAS THAT HE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN LOWER THAN 9000'. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT (14000') AND I REMARKED TO THE CTLR THAT 'THAT WAS CLOSE!'

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

Air carrier Y descended unauthorized descent to occupiked altitude had less than standard separation with air carrier X.