FK100 aircraft. TCASII RA during cruise, flight crew followed RA and other aircraft did likewise. Cause was ATC error with aircraft within 1000 ft vertically of each other. Reporter aircraft was at non standard cruise altitude.

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Attributes
ACN	346779
Time
Date	199609
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zme
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33300
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	346779
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	346780
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were assigned FL330 wbound by ZME. We were level for approximately 15 mins when we received a TA. I disconnected the autoplt and asked my first officer if he had a visual on the aircraft. He had him in sight. At this time we got an RA to climb. I immediately complied causing us to vacate our assigned altitude by 3000 ft. We advised ATC of the RA and he cleared us to FL350 several mins later. The other aircraft was an air carrier jet and he received an RA to descend. I asked ATC for the phone number to call ZME. Upon arrival at dfw I met with chief pilot mr X. We called mem and spoke with mr Y who informed us that ZME was handling the matter as an operational error on their part. I will in the future query all altitude assignments that are the wrong altitude for direction of flight. I want to know what the plan, ie, how long can I expect to have to stay at the wrong altitude for flight direction. I should also add the air carrier jet passed below us from right to left.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FK100 ACFT. TCASII RA DURING CRUISE, FLC FOLLOWED RA AND OTHER ACFT DID LIKEWISE. CAUSE WAS ATC ERROR WITH ACFT WITHIN 1000 FT VERTLY OF EACH OTHER. RPTR ACFT WAS AT NON STANDARD CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED FL330 WBOUND BY ZME. WE WERE LEVEL FOR APPROX 15 MINS WHEN WE RECEIVED A TA. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND ASKED MY FO IF HE HAD A VISUAL ON THE ACFT. HE HAD HIM IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE GOT AN RA TO CLB. I IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED CAUSING US TO VACATE OUR ASSIGNED ALT BY 3000 FT. WE ADVISED ATC OF THE RA AND HE CLRED US TO FL350 SEVERAL MINS LATER. THE OTHER ACFT WAS AN ACR JET AND HE RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND. I ASKED ATC FOR THE PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ZME. UPON ARR AT DFW I MET WITH CHIEF PLT MR X. WE CALLED MEM AND SPOKE WITH MR Y WHO INFORMED US THAT ZME WAS HANDLING THE MATTER AS AN OPERROR ON THEIR PART. I WILL IN THE FUTURE QUERY ALL ALT ASSIGNMENTS THAT ARE THE WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PLAN, IE, HOW LONG CAN I EXPECT TO HAVE TO STAY AT THE WRONG ALT FOR FLT DIRECTION. I SHOULD ALSO ADD THE ACR JET PASSED BELOW US FROM R TO L.

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.