En route MD80 experienced loss of separation in ZID airspace.

Attributes
ACN	581962
Time
Date	200305
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	581962
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Approaching dnv VOR at FL290, we were handed off from ZAU to ZID. The frequency was very busy, and we were just getting ready to pass over the dnv VOR with a heading of about 120 degrees when we received a TCASII TA on traffic at our 2-3 O'clock position. The traffic appeared to be descending into our altitude. I acquired the traffic visually. The traffic was in a left turn to pass behind us based on what I could see and looked to be approximately 2-3 mi away. There was at least 1 blocked radio call during the time the TA occurred. No evasive action was taken, as it was a TA only. Several seconds later, the center controller assigned us a 90 degree heading with a turn back on course several mins later. About 15 mins after the event, we were given a phone number to call by the center controller regarding a possible pilot deviation. We called the number after the parking checklist was complete, and were told that we had already been cleared of any wrongdoing, and that it was a controller error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENRTE MD80 EXPERIENCED LOSS OF SEPARATION IN ZID AIRSPACE.

Narrative: APCHING DNV VOR AT FL290, WE WERE HANDED OFF FROM ZAU TO ZID. THE FREQ WAS VERY BUSY, AND WE WERE JUST GETTING READY TO PASS OVER THE DNV VOR WITH A HDG OF ABOUT 120 DEGS WHEN WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA ON TFC AT OUR 2-3 O'CLOCK POS. THE TFC APPEARED TO BE DSNDING INTO OUR ALT. I ACQUIRED THE TFC VISUALLY. THE TFC WAS IN A L TURN TO PASS BEHIND US BASED ON WHAT I COULD SEE AND LOOKED TO BE APPROX 2-3 MI AWAY. THERE WAS AT LEAST 1 BLOCKED RADIO CALL DURING THE TIME THE TA OCCURRED. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN, AS IT WAS A TA ONLY. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, THE CTR CTLR ASSIGNED US A 90 DEG HDG WITH A TURN BACK ON COURSE SEVERAL MINS LATER. ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER THE EVENT, WE WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL BY THE CTR CTLR REGARDING A POSSIBLE PLTDEV. WE CALLED THE NUMBER AFTER THE PARKING CHKLIST WAS COMPLETE, AND WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN CLRED OF ANY WRONGDOING, AND THAT IT WAS A CTLR ERROR.

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.