Late turn by ATC at altitude causes TCASII TA followed by TCASII RA near psp for air carrier aircraf...

Attributes
ACN	440336
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : psb.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 30000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	440336
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 4200
ASRS Report	440840
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

ZNY advised a 90 degree turn to the left at the same time TCASII gave us traffic at 1 O'clock, about 12 mi. Within a relatively short time, we got a command to descend. An aircraft was descending through our altitude. We descended to 3000 ft, leveled off and returned to direct psb -- also reclbed to FL310. Flight proceeded on course. Supplemental information from acn 440840: TCASII showed traffic (aircraft Y) to be co-altitude at approximately 10 NM. Center gave a further heading to 180 degrees. Now TCASII RA of 'descend.' visual display showed a descent of 3000 FPM necessary to avoid conflict. TCASII showed conflict to be descending also. Closest point of approach was approximately 2 O'clock, 3 NM co-altitude. TCASII gave descend command, but a climb would have alleviated problem earlier. Again, call from center as to traffic's maneuvers would have helped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE TURN BY ATC AT ALT CAUSES TCASII TA FOLLOWED BY TCASII RA NEAR PSP FOR ACR ACFT.

Narrative: ZNY ADVISED A 90 DEG TURN TO THE L AT THE SAME TIME TCASII GAVE US TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK, ABOUT 12 MI. WITHIN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME, WE GOT A COMMAND TO DSND. AN ACFT WAS DSNDING THROUGH OUR ALT. WE DSNDED TO 3000 FT, LEVELED OFF AND RETURNED TO DIRECT PSB -- ALSO RECLBED TO FL310. FLT PROCEEDED ON COURSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 440840: TCASII SHOWED TFC (ACFT Y) TO BE CO-ALT AT APPROX 10 NM. CTR GAVE A FURTHER HDG TO 180 DEGS. NOW TCASII RA OF 'DSND.' VISUAL DISPLAY SHOWED A DSCNT OF 3000 FPM NECESSARY TO AVOID CONFLICT. TCASII SHOWED CONFLICT TO BE DSNDING ALSO. CLOSEST POINT OF APCH WAS APPROX 2 O'CLOCK, 3 NM CO-ALT. TCASII GAVE DSND COMMAND, BUT A CLB WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED PROB EARLIER. AGAIN, CALL FROM CTR AS TO TFC'S MANEUVERS WOULD HAVE HELPED.

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.

Late turn by ATC at altitude causes TCASII TA followed by TCASII RA near psp for air carrier aircraft.