Narrative:

Scheduled flight from gnv, fl, to atl, GA, as per flight planned route (sinca 1 arrival). ZTL told us to descend and maintain 11000 ft at 180 KTS, altimeter 30.34. I was PF and confirmed clearance with PNF and started down. While descending through approximately 20600 ft controller said xx climb and maintain FL220, our correct call sign was xxxxx and then immediately issued instructions to another aircraft. As the controller ended his instructions, we heard other airline stating they had a TA on TCASII this caused both myself and the captain to listen up because we had heard the call for xx to climb to FL220. I started looking outside and the captain told me to climb back up to FL220. At about this same time I saw the traffic at approximately 21000 ft and approximately 4-5 mi at 11 O'clock. The other airline aircraft was turning to the right and I believe climbing, which improved the conflict situation. I ended up maintain altitude and stated that I was not sure what to do at this point. The captain stated that we were cleared to 11000 ft and proceed with the clearance. The captain ahd not been able to get a word in to center up until this point, then asked center to confirm our clearance. Center simply stated to descend and maintain 11000 ft. After our transmission to center, other airline asked center if the required separation had been maintained and center controller stated no. I was a bit concerned with the way the controller handled the situation. The controller was very busy with numerous aircraft and I am quite sure in a high workload situation. In my opinion the conflict had already occurred when he instructed xx to climb and maintain FL220. I personally would have felt better if he would have listened for a reply when he issued the climb instructions rather than start dialogue with another aircraft. I can't recall whom he called, but don't think it was with other airline. The controller should have stayed with us or other airline and verbally told us or other airline that we had a conflict. I also feel that after observing the other aircraft turn right and climb that telling us to climb reduced vertical separation. We should have been descending and turning to the right ourselves. TCASII did its job, even though we were not equipped, just having the 1 aircraft equipped prevented a possible midair.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTSS. A CONFLICT OCCURS WHEN THE CTLR ATTEMPTS TO COUNTERMAND HIS PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS, BUT USES AN INCOMPLETE CALL SIGN AND DOES NOT WAIT FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE ACR CREW.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT FROM GNV, FL, TO ATL, GA, AS PER FLT PLANNED RTE (SINCA 1 ARR). ZTL TOLD US TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT AT 180 KTS, ALTIMETER 30.34. I WAS PF AND CONFIRMED CLRNC WITH PNF AND STARTED DOWN. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 20600 FT CTLR SAID XX CLB AND MAINTAIN FL220, OUR CORRECT CALL SIGN WAS XXXXX AND THEN IMMEDIATELY ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO ANOTHER ACFT. AS THE CTLR ENDED HIS INSTRUCTIONS, WE HEARD OTHER AIRLINE STATING THEY HAD A TA ON TCASII THIS CAUSED BOTH MYSELF AND THE CAPT TO LISTEN UP BECAUSE WE HAD HEARD THE CALL FOR XX TO CLB TO FL220. I STARTED LOOKING OUTSIDE AND THE CAPT TOLD ME TO CLB BACK UP TO FL220. AT ABOUT THIS SAME TIME I SAW THE TFC AT APPROX 21000 FT AND APPROX 4-5 MI AT 11 O'CLOCK. THE OTHER AIRLINE ACFT WAS TURNING TO THE R AND I BELIEVE CLBING, WHICH IMPROVED THE CONFLICT SIT. I ENDED UP MAINTAIN ALT AND STATED THAT I WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT. THE CAPT STATED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 11000 FT AND PROCEED WITH THE CLRNC. THE CAPT AHD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A WORD IN TO CTR UP UNTIL THIS POINT, THEN ASKED CTR TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC. CTR SIMPLY STATED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 11000 FT. AFTER OUR XMISSION TO CTR, OTHER AIRLINE ASKED CTR IF THE REQUIRED SEPARATION HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AND CTR CTLR STATED NO. I WAS A BIT CONCERNED WITH THE WAY THE CTLR HANDLED THE SIT. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY WITH NUMEROUS ACFT AND I AM QUITE SURE IN A HIGH WORKLOAD SIT. IN MY OPINION THE CONFLICT HAD ALREADY OCCURRED WHEN HE INSTRUCTED XX TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL220. I PERSONALLY WOULD HAVE FELT BETTER IF HE WOULD HAVE LISTENED FOR A REPLY WHEN HE ISSUED THE CLB INSTRUCTIONS RATHER THAN START DIALOGUE WITH ANOTHER ACFT. I CAN'T RECALL WHOM HE CALLED, BUT DON'T THINK IT WAS WITH OTHER AIRLINE. THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH US OR OTHER AIRLINE AND VERBALLY TOLD US OR OTHER AIRLINE THAT WE HAD A CONFLICT. I ALSO FEEL THAT AFTER OBSERVING THE OTHER ACFT TURN R AND CLB THAT TELLING US TO CLB REDUCED VERT SEPARATION. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DSNDING AND TURNING TO THE R OURSELVES. TCASII DID ITS JOB, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT EQUIPPED, JUST HAVING THE 1 ACFT EQUIPPED PREVENTED A POSSIBLE MIDAIR.

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.