Narrative:

Inbound to atl on the la grange arrival, approximately 20 DME, approach control cleared us from 12000 ft to 7000 ft. We acknowledged clearance to descend to 7000 ft. The captain and I discussed how unusual it was to be cleared to 7000 ft before passing the departure corridor. We began 'clearing' outside and saw 2 aircraft. Shortly thereafter, we received a TCASII TA followed by a TCASII RA. We took appropriate action and began an immediate TCASII directed climb. We also notified ATC. Climb was begun at approximately 10700 ft and we stopped climb at 11500 ft when ATC directed us to 'maintain present altitude.' we never came close to the other aircraft which was climbing out on the corridor. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated, from his experience, he knows if there are any departures to the south or east when traffic is taking off to the west they will go 3 or 4 mi west and get a vector for a left turn and return south of the airport climbing to 10000 ft. The inbound from the south will be kept above 11000 ft until within about 10 mi of the airport and then be cleared to 7000 ft or even sometimes overfly to the north of the airport for a right downwind. There is no doubt in his mind a mistake was made in his being descended. He just does not know if the tower was thinking of someone else ahead and got the numbers mixed up or forgot about the departures. This analyst asked if he had it to do over again would he have confirmed with the controller rather than questioning the captain for a consensus in the cockpit? The reporter stated he would have done just as he did because there may not have been departures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC RECEIVES TCASII RA TO CLB AND DOES SO.

Narrative: INBOUND TO ATL ON THE LA GRANGE ARR, APPROX 20 DME, APCH CTL CLRED US FROM 12000 FT TO 7000 FT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC TO DSND TO 7000 FT. THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED HOW UNUSUAL IT WAS TO BE CLRED TO 7000 FT BEFORE PASSING THE DEP CORRIDOR. WE BEGAN 'CLRING' OUTSIDE AND SAW 2 ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA FOLLOWED BY A TCASII RA. WE TOOK APPROPRIATE ACTION AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE TCASII DIRECTED CLB. WE ALSO NOTIFIED ATC. CLB WAS BEGUN AT APPROX 10700 FT AND WE STOPPED CLB AT 11500 FT WHEN ATC DIRECTED US TO 'MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT.' WE NEVER CAME CLOSE TO THE OTHER ACFT WHICH WAS CLBING OUT ON THE CORRIDOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED, FROM HIS EXPERIENCE, HE KNOWS IF THERE ARE ANY DEPS TO THE S OR E WHEN TFC IS TAKING OFF TO THE W THEY WILL GO 3 OR 4 MI W AND GET A VECTOR FOR A L TURN AND RETURN S OF THE ARPT CLBING TO 10000 FT. THE INBOUND FROM THE S WILL BE KEPT ABOVE 11000 FT UNTIL WITHIN ABOUT 10 MI OF THE ARPT AND THEN BE CLRED TO 7000 FT OR EVEN SOMETIMES OVERFLY TO THE N OF THE ARPT FOR A R DOWNWIND. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN HIS MIND A MISTAKE WAS MADE IN HIS BEING DSNDED. HE JUST DOES NOT KNOW IF THE TWR WAS THINKING OF SOMEONE ELSE AHEAD AND GOT THE NUMBERS MIXED UP OR FORGOT ABOUT THE DEPS. THIS ANALYST ASKED IF HE HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN WOULD HE HAVE CONFIRMED WITH THE CTLR RATHER THAN QUESTIONING THE CAPT FOR A CONSENSUS IN THE COCKPIT? THE RPTR STATED HE WOULD HAVE DONE JUST AS HE DID BECAUSE THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DEPS.

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.