MD80 at FL310 experienced TCASII RA while under ZID control.

Attributes
ACN	605370
Time
Date	200401
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : yocky
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j6.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j6.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	605370
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 13500 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

While cruising at FL310 on J6, 70 NM northeast of yocky intersection on a heading of 260 degrees, we received a 'traffic, traffic' alert on TCASII. The TCASII was set at 40 NM and level. The traffic appeared at about 1-2 O'clock position and about 10 NM co-altitude. Within 2-3 seconds TCASII issued an RA command to descend which we complied with immediately. Traffic was approximately 5 NM at 1-2 O'clock position. After 2 seconds, the ATC controller issued an immediate turn to heading 240 degrees. We advised him of our descent due to the RA. We had the other aircraft in sight from the start of the RA. We descended to 3000-4000 ft before the conflict was resolved. The controller also increased our turn to 180 degrees right after his initial call of 240 degrees. The other aircraft passed our 3 O'clock position at 2 - 2 1/2 NM and an altitude above FL310. After the resolution, we were issued direct to lit by the controller and had no further problems. After landing at dfw, I called the watch desk at ZID to find out what had caused the conflict. The supervisor said it had been a problem in coordination between 2 controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 AT FL310 EXPERIENCED TCASII RA WHILE UNDER ZID CTL.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL310 ON J6, 70 NM NE OF YOCKY INTXN ON A HDG OF 260 DEGS, WE RECEIVED A 'TFC, TFC' ALERT ON TCASII. THE TCASII WAS SET AT 40 NM AND LEVEL. THE TFC APPEARED AT ABOUT 1-2 O'CLOCK POS AND ABOUT 10 NM CO-ALT. WITHIN 2-3 SECONDS TCASII ISSUED AN RA COMMAND TO DSND WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH IMMEDIATELY. TFC WAS APPROX 5 NM AT 1-2 O'CLOCK POS. AFTER 2 SECONDS, THE ATC CTLR ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO HDG 240 DEGS. WE ADVISED HIM OF OUR DSCNT DUE TO THE RA. WE HAD THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT FROM THE START OF THE RA. WE DSNDED TO 3000-4000 FT BEFORE THE CONFLICT WAS RESOLVED. THE CTLR ALSO INCREASED OUR TURN TO 180 DEGS RIGHT AFTER HIS INITIAL CALL OF 240 DEGS. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS AT 2 - 2 1/2 NM AND AN ALT ABOVE FL310. AFTER THE RESOLUTION, WE WERE ISSUED DIRECT TO LIT BY THE CTLR AND HAD NO FURTHER PROBS. AFTER LNDG AT DFW, I CALLED THE WATCH DESK AT ZID TO FIND OUT WHAT HAD CAUSED THE CONFLICT. THE SUPVR SAID IT HAD BEEN A PROB IN COORD BTWN 2 CTLRS.

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.