Narrative:

Departed runway 01. Switched as assigned to work departure on 126.6, assigned heading and climb to 7000 ft, also, given traffic at 7000 opposite direction xyz airliner. At about the same time the controller called the traffic at 2 O'clock descending to 7000. We spotted suspect aircraft on TCASII at 10 O'clock. Xyz traffic was also issued 2 O'clock traffic (supposedly our aircraft) climbing to 6000. Well, we would have been at xzy's 10 O'clock as well and had just been assigned 7000. A traffic alert was received, the controller said 'medium large transport maintain 6000' as we verbally questioned our assigned altitude to 6000, as would have been expected if the controller knew where we were. When the controller realized there may be an error/conflict, he issued us a left turn, which would have aggravated the situation, as target aircraft was on TCASII TA at 10 O'clock and closing. Captain raised flight spoilers, turned about 30 degree right, and went down to 6000. No RA was present, but thank god we had TCASII, because without it we would have turned directly into the path of that inbound, opposite direction airliner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ISSUED CLB TO 7000 FT WHEN CHANGED TO DEP FREQ. TAKES EVASIVE ACTION WHEN TCASII TA INDICATES TFC AND CTLR CALLS TFC AT SAME ALT.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 01. SWITCHED AS ASSIGNED TO WORK DEP ON 126.6, ASSIGNED HDG AND CLB TO 7000 FT, ALSO, GIVEN TFC AT 7000 OPPOSITE DIRECTION XYZ AIRLINER. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR CALLED THE TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK DSNDING TO 7000. WE SPOTTED SUSPECT ACFT ON TCASII AT 10 O'CLOCK. XYZ TFC WAS ALSO ISSUED 2 O'CLOCK TFC (SUPPOSEDLY OUR ACFT) CLBING TO 6000. WELL, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN AT XZY'S 10 O'CLOCK AS WELL AND HAD JUST BEEN ASSIGNED 7000. A TFC ALERT WAS RECEIVED, THE CTLR SAID 'MLG MAINTAIN 6000' AS WE VERBALLY QUESTIONED OUR ASSIGNED ALT TO 6000, AS WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED IF THE CTLR KNEW WHERE WE WERE. WHEN THE CTLR REALIZED THERE MAY BE AN ERROR/CONFLICT, HE ISSUED US A L TURN, WHICH WOULD HAVE AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION, AS TARGET ACFT WAS ON TCASII TA AT 10 O'CLOCK AND CLOSING. CAPT RAISED FLT SPOILERS, TURNED ABOUT 30 DEG R, AND WENT DOWN TO 6000. NO RA WAS PRESENT, BUT THANK GOD WE HAD TCASII, BECAUSE WITHOUT IT WE WOULD HAVE TURNED DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OF THAT INBOUND, OPPOSITE DIRECTION AIRLINER.

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.