Narrative:

We were level at 11000 and the center asked if we had traffic at our 11-12 O'clock position. We did have an aircraft in that position at about 20 mi. The controller then gave us a clearance to 8000 ft and to maintain visual separation with the traffic and also advised us that he was climbing. We started our descent and at 10500 I noticed lights in our 1 O'clock position and called out the traffic to the captain. We ended up having to make a 30 degree bank right turn to avoid a collision with the opposing traffic. The traffic also made a hard right turn. We then continued our descent into the newark area. After leaving 9000 ft the controller gave us a frequency change to approach. At this time the captain asked him if he was aware of the traffic in our 1 O'clock position and that we came extremely close. The controller responded that that was our traffic we were supposed to be aware of. He also seemed very anxious for us to switch to approach. It seems that too many times the controllers do not listen to what is said to them. All he heard was that we had some traffic, but not what his position was relative to us. Fortunately there were no injuries, but next time we may not be so fortunate. The medium large transport we were flying was not equipped with TCASII. I wish it was and this probably would never have happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG TFC SIGHTED RESULTS IN CONFLICT, AND EVASIVE TURN TO AVOID.

Narrative: WE WERE LEVEL AT 11000 AND THE CENTER ASKED IF WE HAD TFC AT OUR 11-12 O'CLOCK POS. WE DID HAVE AN ACFT IN THAT POS AT ABOUT 20 MI. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A CLRNC TO 8000 FT AND TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE TFC AND ALSO ADVISED US THAT HE WAS CLBING. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT AND AT 10500 I NOTICED LIGHTS IN OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AND CALLED OUT THE TFC TO THE CAPT. WE ENDED UP HAVING TO MAKE A 30 DEG BANK R TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE OPPOSING TFC. THE TFC ALSO MADE A HARD R TURN. WE THEN CONTINUED OUR DSCNT INTO THE NEWARK AREA. AFTER LEAVING 9000 FT THE CTLR GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE TO APCH. AT THIS TIME THE CAPT ASKED HIM IF HE WAS AWARE OF THE TFC IN OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS AND THAT WE CAME EXTREMELY CLOSE. THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT THAT WAS OUR TFC WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AWARE OF. HE ALSO SEEMED VERY ANXIOUS FOR US TO SWITCH TO APCH. IT SEEMS THAT TOO MANY TIMES THE CTLRS DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT IS SAID TO THEM. ALL HE HEARD WAS THAT WE HAD SOME TFC, BUT NOT WHAT HIS POS WAS RELATIVE TO US. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT NEXT TIME WE MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE. THE MLG WE WERE FLYING WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH TCASII. I WISH IT WAS AND THIS PROBABLY WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.

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.