Air carrier turned for separation, turned wrong way and caused less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	167732
Time
Date	199101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mlg
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	167732
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Large transport X at FL370, northbound on J9, destination slc was descended initially to FL330 and then to FL310. Large transport Y was eastbound at FL330, MVA direct publication to ensure departure of large transport X from large transport Y, large transport X was turned 15 degrees right. Large transport Y was subsequently turned 30 degrees left and large transport X was turned an additional 20 degrees right and instructed to expedite descent to FL310. Sep was lost but preliminary evidence indicates the large transport X turned left instead of right on the initial clearance to 'turn 15 degrees right', however, the pilot readback verified a right turn.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURNED FOR SEPARATION, TURNED WRONG WAY AND CAUSED LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: LGT X AT FL370, NBND ON J9, DEST SLC WAS DSNDED INITIALLY TO FL330 AND THEN TO FL310. LGT Y WAS EBND AT FL330, MVA DIRECT PUB TO ENSURE DEP OF LGT X FROM LGT Y, LGT X WAS TURNED 15 DEGS R. LGT Y WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED 30 DEGS L AND LGT X WAS TURNED AN ADDITIONAL 20 DEGS R AND INSTRUCTED TO EXPEDITE DSNT TO FL310. SEP WAS LOST BUT PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE INDICATES THE LGT X TURNED L INSTEAD OF R ON THE INITIAL CLRNC TO 'TURN 15 DEGS R', HOWEVER, THE PLT READBACK VERIFIED A R TURN.

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.