Potential conflict between opposite direction air carrier flts.

Attributes
ACN	206642
Time
Date	199204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vhp
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 33600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
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
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	206642
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 3400
ASRS Report	206640
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Wbound to stl cleared to descend from 35000 to 28000 by center. As we approached 33500, center advised us to turn to 180 degrees and descend as quickly as possible through 31000. Simultaneously, the TCASII gave us a TA. We could then see the urgency of the request. We banked to 25 degrees and descent rate of 2500 FPM plus. Traffic inside the 2 mi range as we passed through 33000. After landing stl we called ZID. They advised that they did have a problem, that the controller 'missed the 33000 ft traffic' and that there had been problems this morning with communications and back up radios were in use. When descent clearance is given and then almost immediately, a conflict occurs, there must be better handoffs in the control ctrs when backup communications are used. Supplemental information from acn 206640: center assumed responsibility for action taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACR FLTS.

Narrative: WBOUND TO STL CLRED TO DSND FROM 35000 TO 28000 BY CTR. AS WE APCHED 33500, CTR ADVISED US TO TURN TO 180 DEGS AND DSND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THROUGH 31000. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE TCASII GAVE US A TA. WE COULD THEN SEE THE URGENCY OF THE REQUEST. WE BANKED TO 25 DEGS AND DSCNT RATE OF 2500 FPM PLUS. TFC INSIDE THE 2 MI RANGE AS WE PASSED THROUGH 33000. AFTER LNDG STL WE CALLED ZID. THEY ADVISED THAT THEY DID HAVE A PROBLEM, THAT THE CTLR 'MISSED THE 33000 FT TFC' AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN PROBLEMS THIS MORNING WITH COMS AND BACK UP RADIOS WERE IN USE. WHEN DSCNT CLRNC IS GIVEN AND THEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, A CONFLICT OCCURS, THERE MUST BE BETTER HDOFS IN THE CTL CTRS WHEN BACKUP COMS ARE USED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 206640: CTR ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTION TAKEN.

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.