Narrative:

In cruise flight at FL330 inbound to flm VOR on a flight from charlotte to dayton. TCASII first called 'traffic.' target was displayed on TCASII scope at about 11:30 position at same altitude and level. ATC then issued a descent from FL330 to FL240 for us (air carrier X) and issued a left turn to the other aircraft (air carrier Y) to a heading of 360 degree. The other aircraft appeared to be on an eastbound heading prior to the left turn. TCASII then issued us a RA to descend at 3000 FPM. We had already started our descent and increased the rate to comply with the TCASII RA. We had the other aircraft in sight and observed him in a left turn. He advised ATC that he had a 'TCASII alert' and apparently climbed because shortly afterward, ATC cleared him to descend back to FL330. Estimated horizontal sep was 5 NM on the TCASII scope and we were through 31000 at that time in our descent. The entire event happened in a matter of seconds, probably less than 20 seconds, from 'traffic, traffic' alert on the TCASII until 'clear of conflict' on TCASII. Supplemental information from acn 213013. Upon landing, I called our dispatch to talk to ZID supervisor. Then talked to supervisor at ZID who said 'they were listening to the tapes.' and 'it appeared it was a FAA controller problem.' I clarified that we had not heard any clearance assigned to us until the 'immediate descent to FL240.' the problem appears to be ATC had us at FL330 on a 'westerly flight' and air carrier Y was at FL330 on an 'easterly flight.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X (TCASII RA DSND) HAD POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC SAME ALT ACR Y TCASII RA CLB. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT AT FL330 INBOUND TO FLM VOR ON A FLT FROM CHARLOTTE TO DAYTON. TCASII FIRST CALLED 'TFC.' TARGET WAS DISPLAYED ON TCASII SCOPE AT ABOUT 11:30 POS AT SAME ALT AND LEVEL. ATC THEN ISSUED A DSCNT FROM FL330 TO FL240 FOR US (ACR X) AND ISSUED A L TURN TO THE OTHER ACFT (ACR Y) TO A HDG OF 360 DEG. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE ON AN EBOUND HDG PRIOR TO THE L TURN. TCASII THEN ISSUED US A RA TO DSND AT 3000 FPM. WE HAD ALREADY STARTED OUR DSCNT AND INCREASED THE RATE TO COMPLY WITH THE TCASII RA. WE HAD THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT AND OBSERVED HIM IN A L TURN. HE ADVISED ATC THAT HE HAD A 'TCASII ALERT' AND APPARENTLY CLBED BECAUSE SHORTLY AFTERWARD, ATC CLRED HIM TO DSND BACK TO FL330. ESTIMATED HORIZ SEP WAS 5 NM ON THE TCASII SCOPE AND WE WERE THROUGH 31000 AT THAT TIME IN OUR DSCNT. THE ENTIRE EVENT HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, PROBABLY LESS THAN 20 SECONDS, FROM 'TFC, TFC' ALERT ON THE TCASII UNTIL 'CLR OF CONFLICT' ON TCASII. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 213013. UPON LNDG, I CALLED OUR DISPATCH TO TALK TO ZID SUPVR. THEN TALKED TO SUPVR AT ZID WHO SAID 'THEY WERE LISTENING TO THE TAPES.' AND 'IT APPEARED IT WAS A FAA CTLR PROBLEM.' I CLARIFIED THAT WE HAD NOT HEARD ANY CLRNC ASSIGNED TO US UNTIL THE 'IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO FL240.' THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE ATC HAD US AT FL330 ON A 'WESTERLY FLT' AND ACR Y WAS AT FL330 ON AN 'EASTERLY FLT.'

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.