Narrative:

Level cruise at 8000 ft MSL. Copilot was off frequency giving passenger a briefing when approach issued small transport descend and maintain 7000 ft. I acknowledged clearance and decided to wait to descend until copilot came back on frequency in order to not violate sterile cockpit rule. Copilot came on frequency approximately 20-30 seconds later, and I immediately began descent to 7000. At the same time, approach said 'small transport, I need you out of 8000 ft now for traffic at 12 O'clock, 12 mi opposite direction climbing 6 for 12000 ft. He then added that he wanted us out of 8000 when he issued the clearance. We told him we were descending. He then turned us to a 280 degree heading until we were level at 7000 MSL, then cleared us direct sli VOR. Controller seemed to be unnerved unnecessarily as traffic was 12 mi away, however, in hindsight, I should have begun descent immediately or asked for pilot's discretion on the descent and controller could have explained reason for early descent request (we normally are issued 'cross 10 NM southeast sli VOR at 7000 ft).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT CLRED TO DSND. CAPT DELAYS DUE TO FO OFF FREQ AT TIME. CTLR REQUESTS EXPEDITE.

Narrative: LEVEL CRUISE AT 8000 FT MSL. COPLT WAS OFF FREQ GIVING PAX A BRIEFING WHEN APCH ISSUED SMT DSND AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC AND DECIDED TO WAIT TO DSND UNTIL COPLT CAME BACK ON FREQ IN ORDER TO NOT VIOLATE STERILE COCKPIT RULE. COPLT CAME ON FREQ APPROX 20-30 SECONDS LATER, AND I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN DSCNT TO 7000. AT THE SAME TIME, APCH SAID 'SMT, I NEED YOU OUT OF 8000 FT NOW FOR TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 12 MI OPPOSITE DIRECTION CLBING 6 FOR 12000 FT. HE THEN ADDED THAT HE WANTED US OUT OF 8000 WHEN HE ISSUED THE CLRNC. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE DSNDING. HE THEN TURNED US TO A 280 DEG HDG UNTIL WE WERE LEVEL AT 7000 MSL, THEN CLRED US DIRECT SLI VOR. CTLR SEEMED TO BE UNNERVED UNNECESSARILY AS TFC WAS 12 MI AWAY, HOWEVER, IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE BEGUN DSCNT IMMEDIATELY OR ASKED FOR PLT'S DISCRETION ON THE DSCNT AND CTLR COULD HAVE EXPLAINED REASON FOR EARLY DSCNT REQUEST (WE NORMALLY ARE ISSUED 'CROSS 10 NM SE SLI VOR AT 7000 FT).

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.