Narrative:

Pit approach instructed our aircraft to depart cutla intersection on a 180 degree heading, followed by a clearance to slow to 210 KIAS, then descend and maintain 6000 ft. After slowing to 210 KTS and during the descent from 10000 ft to 6000 ft, we were in visual contact and TCASII contact with 6000 ft traffic converging from our right 1-2 O'clock. Approach control then gave us a turn to 230 degrees, which would have put us in very close proximity to our traffic. We momentarily stopped our descent at 6500 ft and queried approach control about our traffic. The response from pit approach indicated they now also, recognized the conflict. Because it was VMC and we had a 'tally-ho' as well as TCASII contact, we were able to avoid a near miss. After the flight, when speaking to the captain on the telephone, pit approach thought they had cleared us to 7000 ft. Both the captain and I acknowledged 6000 ft. It sounded as if a second voice (controller's) came on the air as the situation in-flight had put 2 aircraft in such close proximity. I suspect the controller made an error in assigning us 6000 ft and recognized it late. Just as we confirm our altitude assignments, ATC must confirm the readback. Supplemental information from acn 256927: ATC controller training was in progress.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII AND APCH CTLRS COMBINE TO EVADE TFC.

Narrative: PIT APCH INSTRUCTED OUR ACFT TO DEPART CUTLA INTXN ON A 180 DEG HDG, FOLLOWED BY A CLRNC TO SLOW TO 210 KIAS, THEN DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT. AFTER SLOWING TO 210 KTS AND DURING THE DSCNT FROM 10000 FT TO 6000 FT, WE WERE IN VISUAL CONTACT AND TCASII CONTACT WITH 6000 FT TFC CONVERGING FROM OUR R 1-2 O'CLOCK. APCH CTL THEN GAVE US A TURN TO 230 DEGS, WHICH WOULD HAVE PUT US IN VERY CLOSE PROX TO OUR TFC. WE MOMENTARILY STOPPED OUR DSCNT AT 6500 FT AND QUERIED APCH CTL ABOUT OUR TFC. THE RESPONSE FROM PIT APCH INDICATED THEY NOW ALSO, RECOGNIZED THE CONFLICT. BECAUSE IT WAS VMC AND WE HAD A 'TALLY-HO' AS WELL AS TCASII CONTACT, WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID A NEAR MISS. AFTER THE FLT, WHEN SPEAKING TO THE CAPT ON THE TELEPHONE, PIT APCH THOUGHT THEY HAD CLRED US TO 7000 FT. BOTH THE CAPT AND I ACKNOWLEDGED 6000 FT. IT SOUNDED AS IF A SECOND VOICE (CTLR'S) CAME ON THE AIR AS THE SIT INFLT HAD PUT 2 ACFT IN SUCH CLOSE PROX. I SUSPECT THE CTLR MADE AN ERROR IN ASSIGNING US 6000 FT AND RECOGNIZED IT LATE. JUST AS WE CONFIRM OUR ALT ASSIGNMENTS, ATC MUST CONFIRM THE READBACK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 256927: ATC CTLR TRAINING WAS IN PROGRESS.

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.