B722 flight crew initiate evasive maneuver due to conflicting F18 while under ZFW control.

Attributes
ACN	501450
Time
Date	200102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw.artcc
State Reference	TX
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hornet (F-18)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	501450
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	501452
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Miss Distance	vertical : 900
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We were cruising at FL270 from elp to dfw. Traffic popped up on the TCASII at our altitude at 12 O'clock. We were trying to make an inquiry of ATC when we got a TA ('traffic') and soon after an RA ('descend immediately'). I pulled the power off and descended the aircraft down and ATC directed us to turn 15 degrees to the right immediately. I descended to FL260. We asked ATC for a climb back to FL270 and we inquired as to what had happened. There was no explanation. We obtained a phone number to call on arrival in dfw. I called and talked with a supervisor. He explained to me that an F18 had been cleared off from midland FL230-FL270. He said my quick action kept the separation in tact and vertically we were 900 ft apart, but the investigation is ongoing. He said we [did] nothing wrong, but our quick action saved the day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B722 FLC INITIATE EVASIVE MANEUVER DUE TO CONFLICTING F18 WHILE UNDER ZFW CTL.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT FL270 FROM ELP TO DFW. TFC POPPED UP ON THE TCASII AT OUR ALT AT 12 O'CLOCK. WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE AN INQUIRY OF ATC WHEN WE GOT A TA ('TFC') AND SOON AFTER AN RA ('DSND IMMEDIATELY'). I PULLED THE PWR OFF AND DSNDED THE ACFT DOWN AND ATC DIRECTED US TO TURN 15 DEGS TO THE R IMMEDIATELY. I DSNDED TO FL260. WE ASKED ATC FOR A CLB BACK TO FL270 AND WE INQUIRED AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION. WE OBTAINED A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ON ARR IN DFW. I CALLED AND TALKED WITH A SUPVR. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT AN F18 HAD BEEN CLRED OFF FROM MIDLAND FL230-FL270. HE SAID MY QUICK ACTION KEPT THE SEPARATION IN TACT AND VERTLY WE WERE 900 FT APART, BUT THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. HE SAID WE [DID] NOTHING WRONG, BUT OUR QUICK ACTION SAVED THE DAY.

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.