Narrative:

After takeoff, we were switched over to departure climbing out of 1500 ft for 2000 ft. I checked on stating 'air carrier X is out of 1600 ft for 2000 ft.' we were told to level at 2000 ft. I responded 'roger.' the controller then asked if we were light. I replied yes. We were cleared to 7000 ft but were told to expedite there. My first officer was flying. He added power, pulled back to a 1500-1700 FPM climb. As we passed through 5000 ft for 7000 ft, we were told to 'level at 4000 ft.' we both looked at our altimeters as we passed through 5000 ft. I told departure (125.20) we were 'descending' back to 4000 ft. He said 'ok.' a few seconds later we were told to hurry to 4000 ft. At this time, TCASII gave us a TA. The yellow DOT was on us from the 3 O'clock position. We have now gone from 1700 FPM climb to 1500 FPM descent. The controller came back again 'air carrier X, expedite to 4000 ft, expedite, expedite now.' I then took over control of the airplane. Pulling the power levers to flight idle and pushing the nose hard down. We were now doing 4500 FPM descent. I noticed the altimeter passing through 4100 ft as I started pulling the nose up slowly. The plane did not start climbing until 3650 ft, but we were started back to 4000 ft. The controller came on saying 'air carrier X, I told you 4000 ft.' my adrenaline was flowing, we were busy and now scared. I replied with 'it's hard to stop this plane when you're going down at 4500 FPM.' he said 'ok, maintain 4000 ft.' we were with him about another 5 mins. The whole time, he just kept apologizing over and over. 2 points: first officer, mr X, was deadheading in the back of the aircraft. He stated he saw an 'air carrier Y ATR pass over very close 500 ft or so.' also, as I started a climb back to 4000 ft, I noticed an air carrier Z B737 climbing udner us, also very close. The controller got very nervous and you could hear it in his voice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR WHEN LTSS OCCURRED BTWN A CLBING FA22 COMMUTER AND AN ATR COMMUTER. THE FA22 WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO CLB FROM 2000 FT TO 7000 FT AFTER THE CTLR FOUND OUT THE ACFT WAS LIGHT. CTLR SUBSEQUENTLY RECLRED IT TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT WHEN THE ACFT WAS PASSING 5000 FT. A DEADHEADING FO IN THE FA22 RPTED SEEING THE ATR PASS OVER VERY CLOSE AT 500 FT OR SO. RPTR OBSERVED AN ACR B737 VERY CLOSE ALSO.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE WERE SWITCHED OVER TO DEP CLBING OUT OF 1500 FT FOR 2000 FT. I CHKED ON STATING 'ACR X IS OUT OF 1600 FT FOR 2000 FT.' WE WERE TOLD TO LEVEL AT 2000 FT. I RESPONDED 'ROGER.' THE CTLR THEN ASKED IF WE WERE LIGHT. I REPLIED YES. WE WERE CLRED TO 7000 FT BUT WERE TOLD TO EXPEDITE THERE. MY FO WAS FLYING. HE ADDED PWR, PULLED BACK TO A 1500-1700 FPM CLB. AS WE PASSED THROUGH 5000 FT FOR 7000 FT, WE WERE TOLD TO 'LEVEL AT 4000 FT.' WE BOTH LOOKED AT OUR ALTIMETERS AS WE PASSED THROUGH 5000 FT. I TOLD DEP (125.20) WE WERE 'DSNDING' BACK TO 4000 FT. HE SAID 'OK.' A FEW SECONDS LATER WE WERE TOLD TO HURRY TO 4000 FT. AT THIS TIME, TCASII GAVE US A TA. THE YELLOW DOT WAS ON US FROM THE 3 O'CLOCK POS. WE HAVE NOW GONE FROM 1700 FPM CLB TO 1500 FPM DSCNT. THE CTLR CAME BACK AGAIN 'ACR X, EXPEDITE TO 4000 FT, EXPEDITE, EXPEDITE NOW.' I THEN TOOK OVER CTL OF THE AIRPLANE. PULLING THE PWR LEVERS TO FLT IDLE AND PUSHING THE NOSE HARD DOWN. WE WERE NOW DOING 4500 FPM DSCNT. I NOTICED THE ALTIMETER PASSING THROUGH 4100 FT AS I STARTED PULLING THE NOSE UP SLOWLY. THE PLANE DID NOT START CLBING UNTIL 3650 FT, BUT WE WERE STARTED BACK TO 4000 FT. THE CTLR CAME ON SAYING 'ACR X, I TOLD YOU 4000 FT.' MY ADRENALINE WAS FLOWING, WE WERE BUSY AND NOW SCARED. I REPLIED WITH 'IT'S HARD TO STOP THIS PLANE WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN AT 4500 FPM.' HE SAID 'OK, MAINTAIN 4000 FT.' WE WERE WITH HIM ABOUT ANOTHER 5 MINS. THE WHOLE TIME, HE JUST KEPT APOLOGIZING OVER AND OVER. 2 POINTS: FO, MR X, WAS DEADHEADING IN THE BACK OF THE ACFT. HE STATED HE SAW AN 'ACR Y ATR PASS OVER VERY CLOSE 500 FT OR SO.' ALSO, AS I STARTED A CLB BACK TO 4000 FT, I NOTICED AN ACR Z B737 CLBING UDNER US, ALSO VERY CLOSE. THE CTLR GOT VERY NERVOUS AND YOU COULD HEAR IT IN HIS VOICE.

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.