Potential conflict less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	148430
Time
Date	199006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	148430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Approaching cvg at 10000', approach control cleared us to descend and slow to 210 KTS. Copilot read back, 'descend to 6000' and slow to 210.' approach responded, 'make that 7000' now.' passing 7600' on descent, approach told us to maintain 8000', and we advised we would climb back up and questioned his earlier clearance to 7000'. He mentioned traffic at 7000', which we had in sight, and said he cleared us to 8000'. The traffic was not a factor, yet there might have been confusion after our cleared descent when the aircraft at 7000' could not comply with approach control's instructions for their approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: APCHING CVG AT 10000', APCH CTL CLRED US TO DSND AND SLOW TO 210 KTS. COPLT READ BACK, 'DSND TO 6000' AND SLOW TO 210.' APCH RESPONDED, 'MAKE THAT 7000' NOW.' PASSING 7600' ON DSNT, APCH TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 8000', AND WE ADVISED WE WOULD CLB BACK UP AND QUESTIONED HIS EARLIER CLRNC TO 7000'. HE MENTIONED TFC AT 7000', WHICH WE HAD IN SIGHT, AND SAID HE CLRED US TO 8000'. THE TFC WAS NOT A FACTOR, YET THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONFUSION AFTER OUR CLRED DSNT WHEN THE ACFT AT 7000' COULD NOT COMPLY WITH APCH CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THEIR APCH.

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.