Air carrier receives vector and altitude change, then second vector and 'expedite'.

Attributes
ACN	184224
Time
Date	199107
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27500 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1030
ASRS Report	184224
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight from mco to stl approaching stl area on the 143 degree radial (stl) descending to FL280 from FL350. Memphis center controller (frequency 132.37 amended instruction to expedite descent through FL290. He (controller) further amended instructions to turn to heading 300 degree. I complied with this instruction with the use of the autoplt. Pitch rate increased to 4500 FPM and heading selected 300 degree. We asked the controller where our traffic was? The controller's answer was immediate turn to 270 heading. This direction was in a very high, concerned voice! I disconnected the autoplt and rapidly increased to turn rate and pitch rate (6000 plus FPM). Upon leveling aircraft FL280 and heading 270 degree the flight path deviated 500 ft low (FL275). Upon further questioning the memphis controller about our traffic we were informed an small transport had been in or area (no specific altitude, upper 20000's, lower 30000's). My suggestion to lessen this occurrence would be to increase information flow from controllers to pilots on their traffic. A low volume en route frequency does not necessarily mean that nothing is happening.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RECEIVES VECTOR AND ALT CHANGE, THEN SECOND VECTOR AND 'EXPEDITE'.

Narrative: FLT FROM MCO TO STL APCHING STL AREA ON THE 143 DEG RADIAL (STL) DSNDING TO FL280 FROM FL350. MEMPHIS CTR CTLR (FREQ 132.37 AMENDED INSTRUCTION TO EXPEDITE DSCNT THROUGH FL290. HE (CTLR) FURTHER AMENDED INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN TO HDG 300 DEG. I COMPLIED WITH THIS INSTRUCTION WITH THE USE OF THE AUTOPLT. PITCH RATE INCREASED TO 4500 FPM AND HDG SELECTED 300 DEG. WE ASKED THE CTLR WHERE OUR TFC WAS? THE CTLR'S ANSWER WAS IMMEDIATE TURN TO 270 HDG. THIS DIRECTION WAS IN A VERY HIGH, CONCERNED VOICE! I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND RAPIDLY INCREASED TO TURN RATE AND PITCH RATE (6000 PLUS FPM). UPON LEVELING ACFT FL280 AND HDG 270 DEG THE FLT PATH DEVIATED 500 FT LOW (FL275). UPON FURTHER QUESTIONING THE MEMPHIS CTLR ABOUT OUR TFC WE WERE INFORMED AN SMT HAD BEEN IN OR AREA (NO SPECIFIC ALT, UPPER 20000'S, LOWER 30000'S). MY SUGGESTION TO LESSEN THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD BE TO INCREASE INFO FLOW FROM CTLRS TO PLTS ON THEIR TFC. A LOW VOLUME ENRTE FREQ DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING.

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.