Narrative:

En route mia-skrg, while between intxns butal and mento and during initial descent from cruise altitude of FL330, we received instruction to descend to FL290 and there was opposite traffic climbing to FL280. TCASII noted traffic 5 mi right of nose, 30 mi, -7000 ft, crossing slowly to left of nose. As traffic closed and climbed, first officer acquired traffic on radar at 15 mi. Traffic climbed rapidly while closing. At FL300 during our descent, first officer noted traffic was only slightly more than 1000 ft below our altitude and called for a right turn. A call was made to bogota to advise of traffic and they responded traffic would be at FL280. At FL298, first officer noted that radar indicated constant closure azimuth and that TCASII indicated traffic was still climbing with no RA (TCASII RA). First officer called to increase bank 'hard as possible.' flight engineer noted proximity of target on TCASII and zero altitude difference and called for turn. Captain, who was by now hand flying and on instruments, in intermittent IMC, banked 45 degrees. Level and at FL295 in a 45 degree right bank, first officer saw the traffic (air carrier Y MD80/DC9) pass off left side less than 100 ft below and 200-250 ft beside in a slight left bank and still in a climb. Aircraft passed in opposite directions at FL295. To avoid the air carrier Y aircraft, captain was forced to exercise extreme maneuvers. Action by first officer and flight engineer to call for measures despite lack of RA clearly avoided what would have been a midair collision otherwise. Problems noted: 1) failure of air carrier Y to level at FL280 as directed. 2) failure of bogota control to recognize deteriorating conflict. 3) failure of TCASII to give an RA, despite good ground check (TCASII was confirmed before takeoff and during as well as after incident to be in the TA/RA mode position). Our avoidance maneuver took us from initially 20-25 degree bank to a full 45 degree bank, airspeed slowed to 250 KTS prior to event, and held during event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 CREW HAD NMAC WITH AN MD80 IN SKED CLASS A AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ENRTE MIA-SKRG, WHILE BTWN INTXNS BUTAL AND MENTO AND DURING INITIAL DSCNT FROM CRUISE ALT OF FL330, WE RECEIVED INSTRUCTION TO DSND TO FL290 AND THERE WAS OPPOSITE TFC CLBING TO FL280. TCASII NOTED TFC 5 MI R OF NOSE, 30 MI, -7000 FT, XING SLOWLY TO L OF NOSE. AS TFC CLOSED AND CLBED, FO ACQUIRED TFC ON RADAR AT 15 MI. TFC CLBED RAPIDLY WHILE CLOSING. AT FL300 DURING OUR DSCNT, FO NOTED TFC WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 1000 FT BELOW OUR ALT AND CALLED FOR A R TURN. A CALL WAS MADE TO BOGOTA TO ADVISE OF TFC AND THEY RESPONDED TFC WOULD BE AT FL280. AT FL298, FO NOTED THAT RADAR INDICATED CONSTANT CLOSURE AZIMUTH AND THAT TCASII INDICATED TFC WAS STILL CLBING WITH NO RA (TCASII RA). FO CALLED TO INCREASE BANK 'HARD AS POSSIBLE.' FE NOTED PROX OF TARGET ON TCASII AND ZERO ALT DIFFERENCE AND CALLED FOR TURN. CAPT, WHO WAS BY NOW HAND FLYING AND ON INSTS, IN INTERMITTENT IMC, BANKED 45 DEGS. LEVEL AND AT FL295 IN A 45 DEG R BANK, FO SAW THE TFC (ACR Y MD80/DC9) PASS OFF L SIDE LESS THAN 100 FT BELOW AND 200-250 FT BESIDE IN A SLIGHT L BANK AND STILL IN A CLB. ACFT PASSED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AT FL295. TO AVOID THE ACR Y ACFT, CAPT WAS FORCED TO EXERCISE EXTREME MANEUVERS. ACTION BY FO AND FE TO CALL FOR MEASURES DESPITE LACK OF RA CLRLY AVOIDED WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MIDAIR COLLISION OTHERWISE. PROBS NOTED: 1) FAILURE OF ACR Y TO LEVEL AT FL280 AS DIRECTED. 2) FAILURE OF BOGOTA CTL TO RECOGNIZE DETERIORATING CONFLICT. 3) FAILURE OF TCASII TO GIVE AN RA, DESPITE GOOD GND CHK (TCASII WAS CONFIRMED BEFORE TKOF AND DURING AS WELL AS AFTER INCIDENT TO BE IN THE TA/RA MODE POS). OUR AVOIDANCE MANEUVER TOOK US FROM INITIALLY 20-25 DEG BANK TO A FULL 45 DEG BANK, AIRSPD SLOWED TO 250 KTS PRIOR TO EVENT, AND HELD DURING EVENT.

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.