Narrative:

At approximately 25 mi southwest of sie on J121 at FL330, we observed WX just northeast of sie on the camrn 2 arrival. The cloud formation was such that we would possibly be able to remain on the arrival at a lower altitude. We requested a descent clearance from ZDC (133.12 MHZ). Center responded with 'air carrier large transport cleared to FL190, no delay.' descent was initiated immediately. Descending through approximately FL240 it became apparent we would need to deviate to avoid the WX. An easterly deviation was requested and approved by center. We were then told to amend the altitude and maintain FL220. Shortly thereafter, center told us to descend to FL210. We acknowledged and complied with the clearance. The controller was extremely busy handling the developing bottleneck going into the new york complex. With no prior warning, the controller issued a clearance to 'hold as published at boton' (sie 049 degree/25 DME). He did not stop long enough for a response, but continued issuing instructions to other aircraft. The last clearance we had received and acknowledged was to deviate to the east. We were not heading to boton nor could we due to WX. At the first opportunity, we informed center 'unable to accept holding instructions due to WX.' the controller then gave us a heading and instructions to climb to FL230. Climbing through FL216 we received a TCASII RA from opposite direction traffic 4 mi in front at FL220. We immediately followed the TCASII 'descend now' command and advised center accordingly. The controller very quickly issued a clearance to the other aircraft and told us to maintain FL210. At this point we were vectored for holding southeast of sie. It would seem that either the controller forgot we had descended from FL220 to FL210 or the lag on his altitude readout led him to believe the best course of action was to climb us rather than descend us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII COMMAND. THERE WAS HVY WX IN THE AREA.

Narrative: AT APPROX 25 MI SW OF SIE ON J121 AT FL330, WE OBSERVED WX JUST NE OF SIE ON THE CAMRN 2 ARR. THE CLOUD FORMATION WAS SUCH THAT WE WOULD POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO REMAIN ON THE ARR AT A LOWER ALT. WE REQUESTED A DSCNT CLRNC FROM ZDC (133.12 MHZ). CTR RESPONDED WITH 'ACR LGT CLRED TO FL190, NO DELAY.' DSCNT WAS INITIATED IMMEDIATELY. DSNDING THROUGH APPROX FL240 IT BECAME APPARENT WE WOULD NEED TO DEVIATE TO AVOID THE WX. AN EASTERLY DEV WAS REQUESTED AND APPROVED BY CTR. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO AMEND THE ALT AND MAINTAIN FL220. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, CTR TOLD US TO DSND TO FL210. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED WITH THE CLRNC. THE CTLR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY HANDLING THE DEVELOPING BOTTLENECK GOING INTO THE NEW YORK COMPLEX. WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO 'HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT BOTON' (SIE 049 DEG/25 DME). HE DID NOT STOP LONG ENOUGH FOR A RESPONSE, BUT CONTINUED ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER ACFT. THE LAST CLRNC WE HAD RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED WAS TO DEVIATE TO THE E. WE WERE NOT HDG TO BOTON NOR COULD WE DUE TO WX. AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY, WE INFORMED CTR 'UNABLE TO ACCEPT HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS DUE TO WX.' THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A HDG AND INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB TO FL230. CLBING THROUGH FL216 WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA FROM OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC 4 MI IN FRONT AT FL220. WE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED THE TCASII 'DSND NOW' COMMAND AND ADVISED CTR ACCORDINGLY. THE CTLR VERY QUICKLY ISSUED A CLRNC TO THE OTHER ACFT AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL210. AT THIS POINT WE WERE VECTORED FOR HOLDING SE OF SIE. IT WOULD SEEM THAT EITHER THE CTLR FORGOT WE HAD DSNDED FROM FL220 TO FL210 OR THE LAG ON HIS ALT READOUT LED HIM TO BELIEVE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO CLB US RATHER THAN DSND US.

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.