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Flight crew of a B737-200 are confused about ATC vector instructions provided for necessary traffic spacing at high altitude and not being advised of the reason until level at 3000 ft above the other traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 350520 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199610 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : spa |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : atl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : unknown |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | other other : other pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 9000 |
| ASRS Report | 350520 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
We were given clearance to atl then given heading, then cleared to atl, then given heading by ZTL. ZTL then came on again to verify our heading (245 degrees so as to parallel traffic). He then said we were above traffic (by 3000 ft). We leveled at FL310. Very confusing instructions from ZTL. Was not told about any other aircraft in area until we were well above aircraft. We don't even know if the aircraft on radar TCASII was aircraft in question. There never was any airspace conflict. Captain was flying aircraft. I was talking to passenger in back and got in on tail end of several center instructions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLC OF A B737-200 ARE CONFUSED ABOUT ATC VECTOR INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED FOR NECESSARY TFC SPACING AT HIGH ALT AND NOT BEING ADVISED OF THE REASON UNTIL LEVEL AT 3000 FT ABOVE THE OTHER TFC.
Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO ATL THEN GIVEN HDG, THEN CLRED TO ATL, THEN GIVEN HDG BY ZTL. ZTL THEN CAME ON AGAIN TO VERIFY OUR HDG (245 DEGS SO AS TO PARALLEL TFC). HE THEN SAID WE WERE ABOVE TFC (BY 3000 FT). WE LEVELED AT FL310. VERY CONFUSING INSTRUCTIONS FROM ZTL. WAS NOT TOLD ABOUT ANY OTHER ACFT IN AREA UNTIL WE WERE WELL ABOVE ACFT. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE ACFT ON RADAR TCASII WAS ACFT IN QUESTION. THERE NEVER WAS ANY AIRSPACE CONFLICT. CAPT WAS FLYING ACFT. I WAS TALKING TO PAX IN BACK AND GOT IN ON TAIL END OF SEVERAL CTR INSTRUCTIONS.
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.