Narrative:

While level at FL230, 10 DME west of stw VOR, flight attendant entered the cockpit to discuss a cabin problem. As she was talking, the flight engineer was busy monitoring ATIS for the jfk arrival. At the same time, ATC issued a clearance. First officer understood the clearance to be cross lendy intersection at 15000 ft and 250 KTS. He then set 15000 ft in the altitude reminder. Captain pointed to the setting and said, 'cleared to cross lendy at 15000 ft and 250 KTS, correct?' first officer acknowledged. This crossing would have 'felt' normal based on our usual planned dscnts of 3:1 distance to altitude ratio with room to slow to 250 KTS. At the same time, the autoplt which had previous writeups but had been signed off, gave a series of 3 jolts in the pitch mode. The autoplt was disconnected during the first officer's readback and the verification process. There were no further xmissions received from ATC. In the descent, spurious electric signals caused problems with the autoplt, automatic throttles, and thrust rating indicator. Descending through 15500 ft, TCASII gave 'traffic' with popup traffic at 12:30 position showing 600 ft below our altitude. Descent was shallowed followed by visual contact at 1-2 O'clock position. TCASII then gave 'descend' message. Descent was increased to comply. Traffic was moving to 3 O'clock at this time. At the same time we received 'clear of traffic' message. ATC called for the first time during the descent and said we had been cleared to 19000 ft and reported our traffic at approximately 3 O'clock. Climb was initiated visually due to continuing autoplt and automatic throttle system problem. At 17000 ft, ATC reclred us to 16000 ft and gave a change of frequency. Proper phraseology may have been a contributing factor. Additionally, previous comments had been made as to the reception quality of ATC communications. Some of the previous communications had been somewhat difficult to understand.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLRNC INTERP, TCASII RA RESULT IN ALTDEV.

Narrative: WHILE LEVEL AT FL230, 10 DME W OF STW VOR, FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT TO DISCUSS A CABIN PROB. AS SHE WAS TALKING, THE FE WAS BUSY MONITORING ATIS FOR THE JFK ARR. AT THE SAME TIME, ATC ISSUED A CLRNC. FO UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC TO BE CROSS LENDY INTXN AT 15000 FT AND 250 KTS. HE THEN SET 15000 FT IN THE ALT REMINDER. CAPT POINTED TO THE SETTING AND SAID, 'CLRED TO CROSS LENDY AT 15000 FT AND 250 KTS, CORRECT?' FO ACKNOWLEDGED. THIS XING WOULD HAVE 'FELT' NORMAL BASED ON OUR USUAL PLANNED DSCNTS OF 3:1 DISTANCE TO ALT RATIO WITH ROOM TO SLOW TO 250 KTS. AT THE SAME TIME, THE AUTOPLT WHICH HAD PREVIOUS WRITEUPS BUT HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF, GAVE A SERIES OF 3 JOLTS IN THE PITCH MODE. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED DURING THE FO'S READBACK AND THE VERIFICATION PROCESS. THERE WERE NO FURTHER XMISSIONS RECEIVED FROM ATC. IN THE DSCNT, SPURIOUS ELECTRIC SIGNALS CAUSED PROBS WITH THE AUTOPLT, AUTO THROTTLES, AND THRUST RATING INDICATOR. DSNDING THROUGH 15500 FT, TCASII GAVE 'TFC' WITH POPUP TFC AT 12:30 POS SHOWING 600 FT BELOW OUR ALT. DSCNT WAS SHALLOWED FOLLOWED BY VISUAL CONTACT AT 1-2 O'CLOCK POS. TCASII THEN GAVE 'DSND' MESSAGE. DSCNT WAS INCREASED TO COMPLY. TFC WAS MOVING TO 3 O'CLOCK AT THIS TIME. AT THE SAME TIME WE RECEIVED 'CLR OF TFC' MESSAGE. ATC CALLED FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING THE DSCNT AND SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 19000 FT AND RPTED OUR TFC AT APPROX 3 O'CLOCK. CLB WAS INITIATED VISUALLY DUE TO CONTINUING AUTOPLT AND AUTO THROTTLE SYS PROB. AT 17000 FT, ATC RECLRED US TO 16000 FT AND GAVE A CHANGE OF FREQ. PROPER PHRASEOLOGY MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. ADDITIONALLY, PREVIOUS COMMENTS HAD BEEN MADE AS TO THE RECEPTION QUALITY OF ATC COMS. SOME OF THE PREVIOUS COMS HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.

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.