Potential conflict between 2 air carrier aircraft, descending climbing crossing traffic.

Attributes
ACN	209578
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fra
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : eddf tower : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	209578
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were cleared to cross allersberg VOR at FL250. The green arc on the HSI showed us reaching FL250 3-5 NM prior to allersberg VOR. We were talking to frankfurt control on 120.45. I started to do the descent checklist and had reached the airspeed bugs item and was checking the computer when someone in the cockpit said 'TA on the TCASII.' it showed a dive to resolve as we went through FL240. We went 800- 1000 ft below and approximately 3000 ft to the rear of a foreign large transport who had been climbing to FL240. We continued on down to FL225 when I informed the controller that there was traffic at our altitude in descent. He said we hadn't been cleared below 250. I asked the other crew members and the FAA man on the jumpseat if we had been cleared to 210 and they all said we had. I informed frankfurt control we had understood we had been cleared to 210. He disagreed and then cleared us to 210. Upon arrival in frankfurt I had the cockpit tape removed for verification.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN 2 ACR ACFT, DSNDING CLBING XING TFC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS ALLERSBERG VOR AT FL250. THE GREEN ARC ON THE HSI SHOWED US REACHING FL250 3-5 NM PRIOR TO ALLERSBERG VOR. WE WERE TALKING TO FRANKFURT CTL ON 120.45. I STARTED TO DO THE DSCNT CHKLIST AND HAD REACHED THE AIRSPD BUGS ITEM AND WAS CHKING THE COMPUTER WHEN SOMEONE IN THE COCKPIT SAID 'TA ON THE TCASII.' IT SHOWED A DIVE TO RESOLVE AS WE WENT THROUGH FL240. WE WENT 800- 1000 FT BELOW AND APPROX 3000 FT TO THE REAR OF A FOREIGN LGT WHO HAD BEEN CLBING TO FL240. WE CONTINUED ON DOWN TO FL225 WHEN I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT THERE WAS TFC AT OUR ALT IN DSCNT. HE SAID WE HADN'T BEEN CLRED BELOW 250. I ASKED THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS AND THE FAA MAN ON THE JUMPSEAT IF WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 210 AND THEY ALL SAID WE HAD. I INFORMED FRANKFURT CTL WE HAD UNDERSTOOD WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 210. HE DISAGREED AND THEN CLRED US TO 210. UPON ARR IN FRANKFURT I HAD THE COCKPIT TAPE REMOVED FOR VERIFICATION.

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.