Air carrier issued a climb through an occupied altitude resulting less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	188470
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : abb
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
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
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival 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 : 10300 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	188470
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 non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were on indianapolis center frequency 128.55 climbing through FL195 with clearance to FL280 on a 250 degree assigned heading for traffic when center called for us to level at FL190. Center then told an air carrier Y medium large transport flight with clearance to 15000 ft to level at FL200. We were climbing at 1500 FPM and asked center to confirm the level off altitude as 190. He then told us to report passing FL210 and told air carrier Y to expedite through 17000 ft. At that time air carrier Y reported us in sight. We then saw air carrier Y esebound at our 1:30 position about 1 mi and 500 ft or less below us. We increased our climb rate and air carrier Y passed 700-800 ft below and slightly behind us. The center controller never gave us any information as to the presence of the other aircraft, his position or his altitude. The controller initially told us to maintain heading (250 degree) for traffic and I think he forgot us until it was too late. Had we attempted to level at FL190 I think we would have passed air carrier Y at the same altitude with very little lateral separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ISSUED A CLB THROUGH AN OCCUPIED ALT RESULTING LTSS.

Narrative: WE WERE ON INDIANAPOLIS CENTER FREQ 128.55 CLBING THROUGH FL195 WITH CLRNC TO FL280 ON A 250 DEG ASSIGNED HDG FOR TFC WHEN CENTER CALLED FOR US TO LEVEL AT FL190. CENTER THEN TOLD AN ACR Y MLG FLT WITH CLRNC TO 15000 FT TO LEVEL AT FL200. WE WERE CLBING AT 1500 FPM AND ASKED CENTER TO CONFIRM THE LEVEL OFF ALT AS 190. HE THEN TOLD US TO RPT PASSING FL210 AND TOLD ACR Y TO EXPEDITE THROUGH 17000 FT. AT THAT TIME ACR Y RPTED US IN SIGHT. WE THEN SAW ACR Y ESEBOUND AT OUR 1:30 POS ABOUT 1 MI AND 500 FT OR LESS BELOW US. WE INCREASED OUR CLB RATE AND ACR Y PASSED 700-800 FT BELOW AND SLIGHTLY BEHIND US. THE CENTER CTLR NEVER GAVE US ANY INFO AS TO THE PRESENCE OF THE OTHER ACFT, HIS POS OR HIS ALT. THE CTLR INITIALLY TOLD US TO MAINTAIN HDG (250 DEG) FOR TFC AND I THINK HE FORGOT US UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. HAD WE ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL AT FL190 I THINK WE WOULD HAVE PASSED ACR Y AT THE SAME ALT WITH VERY LITTLE LATERAL SEPARATION.

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.