<< >> NASA ASRS Report 381040, September 1997

Flight crew of an MD88 were given turn by ATC to avoid traffic. Subsequently ATC intervened and asked their heading now, and before their turn, then gave them the location of opposite direction traffic in which the controller was trying to keep separated from them. They were then given clearance for direct to nearby VOR in order to get back on course.

Attributes
ACN	381040
Time
Date	199709
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	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	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4190 flight time type : 973
ASRS Report	381040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 7500 vertical : 2400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were north of vxv VOR at FL290 when ZID told us to turn, what we understood to be 15 degrees left. We complied with this. A few mins later center asked us our heading and what our previous heading was, to which the captain replied he didn't remember. Center then informed us about opposite traffic which he was trying to vector us from. The other aircraft was 2400 ft higher and 2-3 mi east of our position. Center then cleared us direct to vxv VOR. One way to avoid confusion as to which way to vector aircraft for opposing traffic is to ask what the current heading is and then fly a specific new heading.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD88 WERE GIVEN TURN BY ATC TO AVOID TFC. SUBSEQUENTLY ATC INTERVENED AND ASKED THEIR HDG NOW, AND BEFORE THEIR TURN, THEN GAVE THEM THE LOCATION OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC IN WHICH THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO KEEP SEPARATED FROM THEM. THEY WERE THEN GIVEN CLRNC FOR DIRECT TO NEARBY VOR IN ORDER TO GET BACK ON COURSE.

Narrative: WE WERE N OF VXV VOR AT FL290 WHEN ZID TOLD US TO TURN, WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE 15 DEGS L. WE COMPLIED WITH THIS. A FEW MINS LATER CTR ASKED US OUR HDG AND WHAT OUR PREVIOUS HDG WAS, TO WHICH THE CAPT REPLIED HE DIDN'T REMEMBER. CTR THEN INFORMED US ABOUT OPPOSITE TFC WHICH HE WAS TRYING TO VECTOR US FROM. THE OTHER ACFT WAS 2400 FT HIGHER AND 2-3 MI E OF OUR POS. CTR THEN CLRED US DIRECT TO VXV VOR. ONE WAY TO AVOID CONFUSION AS TO WHICH WAY TO VECTOR ACFT FOR OPPOSING TFC IS TO ASK WHAT THE CURRENT HDG IS AND THEN FLY A SPECIFIC NEW HDG.

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.