Eastbound B757 assigned climb to FL310 conflicts with a northbound MD80 at FL310.

Attributes
ACN	617680
Time
Date	200405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lin.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
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	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j84.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.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
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 20 controller time certified in position2 : 18
ASRS Report	617680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	617795
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 22500 vertical : 1100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Had traffic at FL310 north and FL330 south. Other aircraft eastbound climbing to FL290 and told him to expect higher. Instructed aircraft to maintain FL310. Plan was to climb aircraft to FL310 after passing northbound traffic. Still had traffic sbound at FL330. Supplemental information from acn 617795: we received clearance to FL310 expect higher later. We experienced a TA just prior to FL300. ATC asked what our altitude was and we replied 30000 flight. We were given a turn to the left and told to return to FL290. The captain had read back FL310 to ZOA controller when it was assigned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EBOUND B757 ASSIGNED CLB TO FL310 CONFLICTS WITH A NBOUND MD80 AT FL310.

Narrative: HAD TFC AT FL310 N AND FL330 S. OTHER ACFT EBOUND CLBING TO FL290 AND TOLD HIM TO EXPECT HIGHER. INSTRUCTED ACFT TO MAINTAIN FL310. PLAN WAS TO CLB ACFT TO FL310 AFTER PASSING NBOUND TFC. STILL HAD TFC SBOUND AT FL330. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 617795: WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL310 EXPECT HIGHER LATER. WE EXPERIENCED A TA JUST PRIOR TO FL300. ATC ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND WE REPLIED 30000 FLT. WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO THE L AND TOLD TO RETURN TO FL290. THE CAPT HAD READ BACK FL310 TO ZOA CTLR WHEN IT WAS ASSIGNED.

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.