A B737 crew, wbound on J24, experienced a TCASII RA due to an ATC separation problem.

Attributes
ACN	453051
Time
Date	199910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : hvq.vor
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27300 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j24.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	453051
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	453050
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 7500 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Loss of separation. At FL280, wbound on J24, we experienced a TCASII RA to descend. ZDC said we got lost in the shuffle and did a good job. We descended to FL273 and hit .78 mach before correcting back to course and altitude. Had we had a better radar scope/system to see the target better it may have given us better and earlier warning. We only had the 6.5 NM and 2 NM ring scope. Supplemental information from acn 453050: while proceeding wbound on J24 approximately 5 NM east of hvq, we received first a TA, then an RA for an aircraft at our 11:30 O'clock position, 6.5 mi out and closing. An RA occurred, the autoplt was disconnected and a descent was initiated following the green band of the ivsi. A turn to the right was also initiated at this time. The aircraft passed to our left at approximately 1.5 NM and 600 ft above us. ATC was advised, and a climb initiated back to FL280.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW, WBOUND ON J24, EXPERIENCED A TCASII RA DUE TO AN ATC SEPARATION PROB.

Narrative: LOSS OF SEPARATION. AT FL280, WBOUND ON J24, WE EXPERIENCED A TCASII RA TO DSND. ZDC SAID WE GOT LOST IN THE SHUFFLE AND DID A GOOD JOB. WE DSNDED TO FL273 AND HIT .78 MACH BEFORE CORRECTING BACK TO COURSE AND ALT. HAD WE HAD A BETTER RADAR SCOPE/SYS TO SEE THE TARGET BETTER IT MAY HAVE GIVEN US BETTER AND EARLIER WARNING. WE ONLY HAD THE 6.5 NM AND 2 NM RING SCOPE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 453050: WHILE PROCEEDING WBOUND ON J24 APPROX 5 NM E OF HVQ, WE RECEIVED FIRST A TA, THEN AN RA FOR AN ACFT AT OUR 11:30 O'CLOCK POS, 6.5 MI OUT AND CLOSING. AN RA OCCURRED, THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND A DSCNT WAS INITIATED FOLLOWING THE GREEN BAND OF THE IVSI. A TURN TO THE R WAS ALSO INITIATED AT THIS TIME. THE ACFT PASSED TO OUR L AT APPROX 1.5 NM AND 600 FT ABOVE US. ATC WAS ADVISED, AND A CLB INITIATED BACK TO FL280.

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.