TRACON issues descent to aircraft in climb to clear conflicting traffic in ewr airspace.

Attributes
ACN	416560
Time
Date	199809
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	416560
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10000 vertical : 2000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departing ewr, departure control cleared us to 10000 ft. During climb at approximately 7000 ft, controller told us to descend to and maintain 6000 ft. Our climb stopped at about 7500 ft and we descended. Traffic passed ahead of us well clear and in sight. Controller later apologized for the mix-up. We still are not sure if we were cleared to 10000 ft or if we misunderstood a clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON ISSUES DSCNT TO ACFT IN CLB TO CLR CONFLICTING TFC IN EWR AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEPARTING EWR, DEP CTL CLRED US TO 10000 FT. DURING CLB AT APPROX 7000 FT, CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT. OUR CLB STOPPED AT ABOUT 7500 FT AND WE DSNDED. TFC PASSED AHEAD OF US WELL CLR AND IN SIGHT. CTLR LATER APOLOGIZED FOR THE MIX-UP. WE STILL ARE NOT SURE IF WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT OR IF WE MISUNDERSTOOD A 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.