<< >> NASA ASRS Report 584034, June 2003

B757 crew inbound to oak at 8000 ft encounter opposite direction traffic that apparently drifted off its assigned 7000 ft altitude to 7600 ft.

Attributes
ACN	584034
Time
Date	200306
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : catty
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : madn
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
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 : 19000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	584034
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We had been vectored off the madn 4 arrival into oak and were returning to that arrival. Heading 300 degrees direct to catty approximately 10 mi from catty, ATC gave us traffic at 12 O'clock position, opposite direction 7000 ft. At the same time TCASII gave us a 'traffic' call. TCASII showed a yellow contact at 7300 ft 12 O'clock position approximately 5 mi climbing. We had the traffic visually. The TCASII contact turned red, 'monitor vertical speed' was heard. ATC told the aircraft 'I need you at 7000 ft.' the aircraft passed under us at -400 ft. No evasive action taken. Why was an aircraft going the opposite direction of an active arrival into a major airport?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW INBOUND TO OAK AT 8000 FT ENCOUNTER OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC THAT APPARENTLY DRIFTED OFF ITS ASSIGNED 7000 FT ALT TO 7600 FT.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN VECTORED OFF THE MADN 4 ARR INTO OAK AND WERE RETURNING TO THAT ARR. HEADING 300 DEGS DIRECT TO CATTY APPROX 10 MI FROM CATTY, ATC GAVE US TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS, OPPOSITE DIRECTION 7000 FT. AT THE SAME TIME TCASII GAVE US A 'TFC' CALL. TCASII SHOWED A YELLOW CONTACT AT 7300 FT 12 O'CLOCK POS APPROX 5 MI CLBING. WE HAD THE TFC VISUALLY. THE TCASII CONTACT TURNED RED, 'MONITOR VERT SPD' WAS HEARD. ATC TOLD THE ACFT 'I NEED YOU AT 7000 FT.' THE ACFT PASSED UNDER US AT -400 FT. NO EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. WHY WAS AN ACFT GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF AN ACTIVE ARR INTO A MAJOR ARPT?

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.