Narrative:

While cruising at FL290, approximately 10 mi south of san VOR, we were cleared by manila control to climb to FL410. A few mins earlier, we were told that our requested level of FL330 was unavailable due to northbound traffic 20 mi ahead. We were traveling north on B591 at the time. Then manila control asked if we could accept a higher level. After checking performance information, we requested FL410. A few mins later, manila center cleared us to climb to FL410. We initiated the climb via autoplt through the FMS. A few hundred ft after initiating the climb we received a TA, followed immediately by an RA calling for a climb. I disconnected the autoplt and complied with the RA. A few seconds later, the RA called for 'increase climb.' I increased the climb rate. At about this time, the oncoming aircraft illuminated his landing lights, appearing directly ahead. As the increased climb rate was applied, the RA changed to 'descend now.' at this point, I rolled right and pushed the nose over. Shortly after this turn, the conflicting aircraft passed to our left and above us. The first call from manila control came a bit later when they told us we were clear of the traffic. The other aircraft then asked manila control to confirm they were in radar contact, manila didn't answer. I initiated the right turn in addition to the RA climb then descend command to facilitate the lowering of the nose, and to clear the airway. With the advent of GPS, it has not gone unnoticed that traffic all travels precisely down the airway diminishing the 'big sky' effect to almost nothing. I believe it is only a matter of time until 2 aircraft operating on the same airway are involved in a midair collision. After the incident, we continued to FL410, but we failed to don our oxygen masks. I attribute this to our preoccupation with the preceding events. Supplemental information from acn 597876: traffic was indicated about 5 mi ahead, 500 ft above and climbing, and opposite direction. The traffic passed on our left side by approximately 500 ft. We recovered at about FL290 and continued our climb to FL410. The crew from XXX asked if we were under radar contact, the controller indicated yes, but gave no other response. Other factors that may have contributed to this event: 1) thunderstorm lights on (cockpit lights). 2) navigation display at higher range. 3) language barrier. Obviously shaken by this event, we did not don our oxygen masks for the portion of the flight at FL410.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CLBING WITH RPHI ARTCC EXPERIENCED TCASII RA AT FL295 WITH ENRTE ACFT, OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON SAME AIRWAY.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL290, APPROX 10 MI S OF SAN VOR, WE WERE CLRED BY MANILA CTL TO CLB TO FL410. A FEW MINS EARLIER, WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR REQUESTED LEVEL OF FL330 WAS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO NBOUND TFC 20 MI AHEAD. WE WERE TRAVELING N ON B591 AT THE TIME. THEN MANILA CTL ASKED IF WE COULD ACCEPT A HIGHER LEVEL. AFTER CHKING PERFORMANCE INFO, WE REQUESTED FL410. A FEW MINS LATER, MANILA CTR CLRED US TO CLB TO FL410. WE INITIATED THE CLB VIA AUTOPLT THROUGH THE FMS. A FEW HUNDRED FT AFTER INITIATING THE CLB WE RECEIVED A TA, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY AN RA CALLING FOR A CLB. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND COMPLIED WITH THE RA. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE RA CALLED FOR 'INCREASE CLB.' I INCREASED THE CLB RATE. AT ABOUT THIS TIME, THE ONCOMING ACFT ILLUMINATED HIS LNDG LIGHTS, APPEARING DIRECTLY AHEAD. AS THE INCREASED CLB RATE WAS APPLIED, THE RA CHANGED TO 'DSND NOW.' AT THIS POINT, I ROLLED R AND PUSHED THE NOSE OVER. SHORTLY AFTER THIS TURN, THE CONFLICTING ACFT PASSED TO OUR L AND ABOVE US. THE FIRST CALL FROM MANILA CTL CAME A BIT LATER WHEN THEY TOLD US WE WERE CLR OF THE TFC. THE OTHER ACFT THEN ASKED MANILA CTL TO CONFIRM THEY WERE IN RADAR CONTACT, MANILA DIDN'T ANSWER. I INITIATED THE R TURN IN ADDITION TO THE RA CLB THEN DSND COMMAND TO FACILITATE THE LOWERING OF THE NOSE, AND TO CLR THE AIRWAY. WITH THE ADVENT OF GPS, IT HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED THAT TFC ALL TRAVELS PRECISELY DOWN THE AIRWAY DIMINISHING THE 'BIG SKY' EFFECT TO ALMOST NOTHING. I BELIEVE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL 2 ACFT OPERATING ON THE SAME AIRWAY ARE INVOLVED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION. AFTER THE INCIDENT, WE CONTINUED TO FL410, BUT WE FAILED TO DON OUR OXYGEN MASKS. I ATTRIBUTE THIS TO OUR PREOCCUPATION WITH THE PRECEDING EVENTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 597876: TFC WAS INDICATED ABOUT 5 MI AHEAD, 500 FT ABOVE AND CLBING, AND OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE TFC PASSED ON OUR L SIDE BY APPROX 500 FT. WE RECOVERED AT ABOUT FL290 AND CONTINUED OUR CLB TO FL410. THE CREW FROM XXX ASKED IF WE WERE UNDER RADAR CONTACT, THE CTLR INDICATED YES, BUT GAVE NO OTHER RESPONSE. OTHER FACTORS THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT: 1) TSTM LIGHTS ON (COCKPIT LIGHTS). 2) NAV DISPLAY AT HIGHER RANGE. 3) LANGUAGE BARRIER. OBVIOUSLY SHAKEN BY THIS EVENT, WE DID NOT DON OUR OXYGEN MASKS FOR THE PORTION OF THE FLT AT FL410.

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.