Narrative:

Milwaukee approach control gave us clearance to descend to 7000 ft (we were eastbound for visual approach to runway 19R). We acknowledged clearance with readback and then first officer set aircraft weight indicator to 7000 ft. I acknowledged 7000 ft and then started descent. After level off at 7000 ft we noticed opposite direction traffic on TCASII 100 ft below and approximately 3 mi to the south. We called approach and they said (yes) traffic showing 6900 ft wbound. We still did not have the other aircraft visually. Approach next gave us a descent to 6000 ft. I began a rapid descent to 6000 ft. Almost immediately (6900 ft) TCASII gave us an RA 'climb, climb, climb.' I then initiated a climb and directed the first officer to tell approach our intentions to climb. At the same instant we saw the aircraft visually and received a TCASII 'clear of conflict,' and resumed our descent to 6000 ft. On the ground I called approach by telephone to discuss wbound traffic at 7000 ft, supervisor said we were at the wrong altitude, but upon discussion with his controllers, and the fact that no separation limits were broken -- they were not going to pursue action. Apparently approach was not listening to our clearance readback, because the whole crew heard and acknowledged and the first officer set 7000 ft in the awi. On departure from milwaukee a short time later, we were given climb clearance, and before the captain had finished the readback, departure was already talking to another aircraft. The 2-WAY communication safety valve in milwaukee is not working. You must also listen to clearance readbacks as well as give them.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT ACR ACFT STOPPED ASSIGNED DSCNT IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: MILWAUKEE APCH CTL GAVE US CLRNC TO DSND TO 7000 FT (WE WERE EBOUND FOR VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19R). WE ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC WITH READBACK AND THEN FO SET ACFT WT INDICATOR TO 7000 FT. I ACKNOWLEDGED 7000 FT AND THEN STARTED DSCNT. AFTER LEVEL OFF AT 7000 FT WE NOTICED OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC ON TCASII 100 FT BELOW AND APPROX 3 MI TO THE S. WE CALLED APCH AND THEY SAID (YES) TFC SHOWING 6900 FT WBOUND. WE STILL DID NOT HAVE THE OTHER ACFT VISUALLY. APCH NEXT GAVE US A DSCNT TO 6000 FT. I BEGAN A RAPID DSCNT TO 6000 FT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY (6900 FT) TCASII GAVE US AN RA 'CLB, CLB, CLB.' I THEN INITIATED A CLB AND DIRECTED THE FO TO TELL APCH OUR INTENTIONS TO CLB. AT THE SAME INSTANT WE SAW THE ACFT VISUALLY AND RECEIVED A TCASII 'CLR OF CONFLICT,' AND RESUMED OUR DSCNT TO 6000 FT. ON THE GND I CALLED APCH BY TELEPHONE TO DISCUSS WBOUND TFC AT 7000 FT, SUPVR SAID WE WERE AT THE WRONG ALT, BUT UPON DISCUSSION WITH HIS CTLRS, AND THE FACT THAT NO SEPARATION LIMITS WERE BROKEN -- THEY WERE NOT GOING TO PURSUE ACTION. APPARENTLY APCH WAS NOT LISTENING TO OUR CLRNC READBACK, BECAUSE THE WHOLE CREW HEARD AND ACKNOWLEDGED AND THE FO SET 7000 FT IN THE AWI. ON DEP FROM MILWAUKEE A SHORT TIME LATER, WE WERE GIVEN CLB CLRNC, AND BEFORE THE CAPT HAD FINISHED THE READBACK, DEP WAS ALREADY TALKING TO ANOTHER ACFT. THE 2-WAY COM SAFETY VALVE IN MILWAUKEE IS NOT WORKING. YOU MUST ALSO LISTEN TO CLRNC READBACKS AS WELL AS GIVE THEM.

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.