Loss of separation situation between MD88 descending to 10000 ft and other aircraft at 10000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	389487
Time
Date	199712
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	389487
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On approach to abq, first officer flying, on vectors. Cleared to descend to 10000 ft, heading 270 degrees. During descent approach control said to turn to 240 degrees and amend altitude to 10000 ft. Approaching 10000 ft approach called traffic at 1 O'clock position and 10000 ft. Prior to asking about our clearance we got a TCASII RA telling us to climb. Approach control also gave us a turn to 190 degrees just before the RA. We missed the other aircraft by about 1 mi and 600 ft vertical. Approach control was quite busy and I think the controller got confused and meant to change our altitude from 10000 ft but did not. TCASII helped avert a possible very close miss/near midair.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF SEPARATION SIT BTWN MD88 DSNDING TO 10000 FT AND OTHER ACFT AT 10000 FT.

Narrative: ON APCH TO ABQ, FO FLYING, ON VECTORS. CLRED TO DSND TO 10000 FT, HDG 270 DEGS. DURING DSCNT APCH CTL SAID TO TURN TO 240 DEGS AND AMEND ALT TO 10000 FT. APCHING 10000 FT APCH CALLED TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS AND 10000 FT. PRIOR TO ASKING ABOUT OUR CLRNC WE GOT A TCASII RA TELLING US TO CLB. APCH CTL ALSO GAVE US A TURN TO 190 DEGS JUST BEFORE THE RA. WE MISSED THE OTHER ACFT BY ABOUT 1 MI AND 600 FT VERT. APCH CTL WAS QUITE BUSY AND I THINK THE CTLR GOT CONFUSED AND MEANT TO CHANGE OUR ALT FROM 10000 FT BUT DID NOT. TCASII HELPED AVERT A POSSIBLE VERY CLOSE MISS/NEAR 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.