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A319 first officer reports upset ZTL controller and TCAS TA while deviating around trw's as cleared at FL280.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 789024 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200806 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bwg.vortac |
| State Reference | KY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 27000 msl bound upper : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 3500 |
| ASRS Report | 789024 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
On climb out; we leveled off at FL280 instead of initial cruise FL320 due to reports of moderate turbulence at FL320. We were only experiencing light turbulence at FL280 in VMC. We were cleared by ZTL to deviation left and right of course due to thunderstorms in the area. As the captain was deviating; we were switched to another ZTL frequency who immediately asked us (I think) for our heading and altitude. I replied. The controller immediately told us to descend to FL270; which we started to descend. I replied and told her that we were cleared to deviate around the WX by the previous controller. When I released my microphone switch; I realized she had already blocked my transmission and the last words she was saying were 'call sign; descend to FL270 now!' at the same time; I looked down at my navigation display and saw a target 2 O'clock position at FL280 and we got the 'traffic; traffic' TA. The upset controller asked us if we were descending; and I replied that we were passing FL276. She then said 'call sign; report FL270 in 30 seconds.' we reported level and switched us to another frequency. I don't know how this happened since we were supposedly under radar control and why we were suddenly in a traffic conflict when we were cleared to deviation around the WX. I've learned to now keep a watch on traffic under radar control even when 'cleared to deviation.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A319 FO REPORTS UPSET ZTL CONTROLLER AND TCAS TA WHILE DEVIATING AROUND TRW'S AS CLEARED AT FL280.
Narrative: ON CLBOUT; WE LEVELED OFF AT FL280 INSTEAD OF INITIAL CRUISE FL320 DUE TO RPTS OF MODERATE TURB AT FL320. WE WERE ONLY EXPERIENCING LIGHT TURB AT FL280 IN VMC. WE WERE CLRED BY ZTL TO DEV L AND R OF COURSE DUE TO TSTMS IN THE AREA. AS THE CAPT WAS DEVIATING; WE WERE SWITCHED TO ANOTHER ZTL FREQ WHO IMMEDIATELY ASKED US (I THINK) FOR OUR HDG AND ALT. I REPLIED. THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO DSND TO FL270; WHICH WE STARTED TO DSND. I REPLIED AND TOLD HER THAT WE WERE CLRED TO DEVIATE AROUND THE WX BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. WHEN I RELEASED MY MIKE SWITCH; I REALIZED SHE HAD ALREADY BLOCKED MY XMISSION AND THE LAST WORDS SHE WAS SAYING WERE 'CALL SIGN; DSND TO FL270 NOW!' AT THE SAME TIME; I LOOKED DOWN AT MY NAV DISPLAY AND SAW A TARGET 2 O'CLOCK POS AT FL280 AND WE GOT THE 'TFC; TFC' TA. THE UPSET CTLR ASKED US IF WE WERE DSNDING; AND I REPLIED THAT WE WERE PASSING FL276. SHE THEN SAID 'CALL SIGN; RPT FL270 IN 30 SECONDS.' WE RPTED LEVEL AND SWITCHED US TO ANOTHER FREQ. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS HAPPENED SINCE WE WERE SUPPOSEDLY UNDER RADAR CTL AND WHY WE WERE SUDDENLY IN A TFC CONFLICT WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO DEV AROUND THE WX. I'VE LEARNED TO NOW KEEP A WATCH ON TFC UNDER RADAR CTL EVEN WHEN 'CLRED TO DEV.'
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.