Another aircraft on descent into reporter's departure airport, misunderstood his cleared altitude and was descending into reporter's altitude. Reporter flight crew saw the traffic and followed TCASII RA to avoid other aircraft. Controller clarified with other aircraft their altitude assignment.

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Attributes
ACN	341578
Time
Date	199607
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hzn airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11600 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 13000
ASRS Report	341578
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed reno to the south on the wagge departure. Due to WX we requested an early turn to the east and received clearance. We were cleared to 12000 ft and maintained an easterly heading to intercept the hzn radial on course. At 12000 ft and approximately 300 KTS we noted a TCASII target descending towards us at about 2 O'clock. Almost suddenly, departure challenged their altitude because they were cleared to 13000 ft but were descending to 12000 ft (our altitude). It was day VFR as we saw the aircraft (B737) heading for us. While the other aircraft was trying to explain they 'read back' 12000 ft unchallenged by center, they continued to descend. We descended approximately 400 ft (receiving a TCASII RA) and made a turn to the right to maintain safe clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ANOTHER ACFT ON DSCNT INTO RPTR'S DEP ARPT, MISUNDERSTOOD HIS CLRED ALT AND WAS DSNDING INTO RPTR'S ALT. RPTR FLC SAW THE TFC AND FOLLOWED TCASII RA TO AVOID OTHER ACFT. CTLR CLARIFIED WITH OTHER ACFT THEIR ALT ASSIGNMENT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED RENO TO THE S ON THE WAGGE DEP. DUE TO WX WE REQUESTED AN EARLY TURN TO THE E AND RECEIVED CLRNC. WE WERE CLRED TO 12000 FT AND MAINTAINED AN EASTERLY HDG TO INTERCEPT THE HZN RADIAL ON COURSE. AT 12000 FT AND APPROX 300 KTS WE NOTED A TCASII TARGET DSNDING TOWARDS US AT ABOUT 2 O'CLOCK. ALMOST SUDDENLY, DEP CHALLENGED THEIR ALT BECAUSE THEY WERE CLRED TO 13000 FT BUT WERE DSNDING TO 12000 FT (OUR ALT). IT WAS DAY VFR AS WE SAW THE ACFT (B737) HEADING FOR US. WHILE THE OTHER ACFT WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THEY 'READ BACK' 12000 FT UNCHALLENGED BY CTR, THEY CONTINUED TO DSND. WE DSNDED APPROX 400 FT (RECEIVING A TCASII RA) AND MADE A TURN TO THE R TO MAINTAIN SAFE CLRNC.

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.