An air carrier medium large transport is issued an uncoord climb to occupied altitude clearance.

Attributes
ACN	294373
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mol
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	294373
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe 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 other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000 vertical : 1400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

While climbing, we were cleared to FL200 by ZDC, we were advised of traffic at 10 O'clock descending. Then ARTCC advised 'immediate left turn to 180 degrees, descend and maintain FL190.' at that moment we were climbing thru FL192, and TCASII advised us of traffic at 11:30 O'clock descending, 1400 ft above us, we got a TA only, not a resolution advisory. We did as ARTCC told us, I asked ARTCC if there was any loss of separation and he said, no. I believe that there must have been a miscom from the previous ARTCC as to the altitude the descending aircraft was cleared to. Had the controller not been as alert as he was, I believe a loss of separation would have occurred or possibly worse. I realize that it would be unrealistic to have descending and climbing aircraft always separated by more than 1000 ft vertically (as far as cleared altitude). However, when aircraft-climbing and descending-are cleared to within 1000 ft vertically why not vector them to more than 1 mi horizontal separation so that this does not occur in the future. This would also help prevent nuisance RA's on TCASII during rapid dscnts and climbs. Note: the descending aircraft leveled at FL200.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG IS ISSUED AN UNCOORD CLB TO OCCUPIED ALT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING, WE WERE CLRED TO FL200 BY ZDC, WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK DSNDING. THEN ARTCC ADVISED 'IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 180 DEGS, DSND AND MAINTAIN FL190.' AT THAT MOMENT WE WERE CLBING THRU FL192, AND TCASII ADVISED US OF TFC AT 11:30 O'CLOCK DSNDING, 1400 FT ABOVE US, WE GOT A TA ONLY, NOT A RESOLUTION ADVISORY. WE DID AS ARTCC TOLD US, I ASKED ARTCC IF THERE WAS ANY LOSS OF SEPARATION AND HE SAID, NO. I BELIEVE THAT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MISCOM FROM THE PREVIOUS ARTCC AS TO THE ALT THE DSNDING ACFT WAS CLRED TO. HAD THE CTLR NOT BEEN AS ALERT AS HE WAS, I BELIEVE A LOSS OF SEPARATION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED OR POSSIBLY WORSE. I REALIZE THAT IT WOULD BE UNREALISTIC TO HAVE DSNDING AND CLBING ACFT ALWAYS SEPARATED BY MORE THAN 1000 FT VERTICALLY (AS FAR AS CLRED ALT). HOWEVER, WHEN ACFT-CLBING AND DSNDING-ARE CLEARED TO WITHIN 1000 FT VERTICALLY WHY NOT VECTOR THEM TO MORE THAN 1 MI HORIZONTAL SEPARATION SO THAT THIS DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE FUTURE. THIS WOULD ALSO HELP PREVENT NUISANCE RA'S ON TCASII DURING RAPID DSCNTS AND CLBS. NOTE: THE DSNDING ACFT LEVELED AT FL200.

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.