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Shortly after being cleared from FL270 to FL250, an emj crew received a TCASII RA to climb with a confusing clearance to descend to FL270.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 618469 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200405 |
| Day | Thu |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pxt.vortac |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26500 msl bound upper : 27300 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Embraer Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : j191.airway |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 618469 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| ASRS Report | 618738 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 9850 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
ZDC cleared us to descend to FL250 at FL265. ZDC said descend to FL270, which was confusing, because we had been at FL270 and were already below it. We then got a TA on TCASII and first officer who was flying, turned off autoplt and began to return to FL270. The TA turned to an RA at about 10 NM, saying climb at 15000 FPM, which we did. RA ended at FL273 and we advised ATC we had responded to RA and were returning to FL270. It appeared to me the other aircraft on TCASII (no visual obtained) got to within 300 ft below at about 3 NM on a somewhat reciprocal heading. It appeared to us that there had been an error in issuing the descent clearance. On frequency swap, we asked ATC if they wanted us to call them and talk about it. The reply was no.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SHORTLY AFTER BEING CLRED FROM FL270 TO FL250, AN EMJ CREW RECEIVED A TCASII RA TO CLB WITH A CONFUSING CLRNC TO DSND TO FL270.
Narrative: ZDC CLRED US TO DSND TO FL250 AT FL265. ZDC SAID DSND TO FL270, WHICH WAS CONFUSING, BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN AT FL270 AND WERE ALREADY BELOW IT. WE THEN GOT A TA ON TCASII AND FO WHO WAS FLYING, TURNED OFF AUTOPLT AND BEGAN TO RETURN TO FL270. THE TA TURNED TO AN RA AT ABOUT 10 NM, SAYING CLB AT 15000 FPM, WHICH WE DID. RA ENDED AT FL273 AND WE ADVISED ATC WE HAD RESPONDED TO RA AND WERE RETURNING TO FL270. IT APPEARED TO ME THE OTHER ACFT ON TCASII (NO VISUAL OBTAINED) GOT TO WITHIN 300 FT BELOW AT ABOUT 3 NM ON A SOMEWHAT RECIPROCAL HDG. IT APPEARED TO US THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN ERROR IN ISSUING THE DSCNT CLRNC. ON FREQ SWAP, WE ASKED ATC IF THEY WANTED US TO CALL THEM AND TALK ABOUT IT. THE REPLY WAS NO.
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.