Narrative:

ZTL issued descent clearance to 17000 ft with 'plan to descend to 13000 ft 40 mi north of spartanburg.' we received the clearance at 59 DME north of spartanburg. As we continued descent to 17000 ft, I mentioned to the first officer we would have to hustle down if we were to be in a position to make 13000 ft at 40 DME and decided to query the controller about our descent clearance. By the time I was able to transmit to ATC, we were descending through 17000 ft. Supplemental information from acn 438421: at the same time, we got a TA on TCASII. I had my scale set at the 12 NM scale. The traffic was at approximately our 11 O'clock position and 2500 ft below and approximately 6 mi. I immediately picked up the traffic visually and referenced it for my descent. At first, I could not identify the make, but from my viewpoint the traffic was moving from left to right. The traffic was not a threat to our course, so I continued the descent referencing the traffic both visually and on my TCASII display. We never got an RA from TCASII, only the yellow TA. As I continued the descent in order to meet the crossing restr, I was able to identify the aircraft as a learjet. The lear had passed under us and was off our right wing by the time ATC came back and told us to maintain 17000 ft. The traffic had already passed and was approximately 3 mi to our right and 900 ft below our altitude according to my TCASII display. We were at approximately 16500 ft on my altimeter and approximately 44 DME on the 059 degree radial from spa when the lear passed underneath. ATC called the traffic at 12 O'clock, but the traffic was at approximately 3 mi and 900 ft below at our 2-3 O'clock position. The captain then advised ATC that we had the traffic in sight. He questioned the clearance that we had received and ATC said that he had cleared us to 17000 ft and not to 13000 ft at 40 DME on the 059 degree radial from spa -- this was an expect clearance. ATC then issued us a descent to 13000 ft. ZTL was too busy to give us any information while we were on his frequency and handed us off to clt approach. We were not given a phone number to call until we were with gsp approach on a 15 mi final. The captain called the center once on the ground and was told that the quality assurance program had sensed a loss of separation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISUNDERSTOOD CTLRS 'EXPECT XING' CLRNC, RESULTING IN TCASII TA.

Narrative: ZTL ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO 17000 FT WITH 'PLAN TO DSND TO 13000 FT 40 MI N OF SPARTANBURG.' WE RECEIVED THE CLRNC AT 59 DME N OF SPARTANBURG. AS WE CONTINUED DSCNT TO 17000 FT, I MENTIONED TO THE FO WE WOULD HAVE TO HUSTLE DOWN IF WE WERE TO BE IN A POS TO MAKE 13000 FT AT 40 DME AND DECIDED TO QUERY THE CTLR ABOUT OUR DSCNT CLRNC. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO XMIT TO ATC, WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 17000 FT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 438421: AT THE SAME TIME, WE GOT A TA ON TCASII. I HAD MY SCALE SET AT THE 12 NM SCALE. THE TFC WAS AT APPROX OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AND 2500 FT BELOW AND APPROX 6 MI. I IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP THE TFC VISUALLY AND REFED IT FOR MY DSCNT. AT FIRST, I COULD NOT IDENT THE MAKE, BUT FROM MY VIEWPOINT THE TFC WAS MOVING FROM L TO R. THE TFC WAS NOT A THREAT TO OUR COURSE, SO I CONTINUED THE DSCNT REFING THE TFC BOTH VISUALLY AND ON MY TCASII DISPLAY. WE NEVER GOT AN RA FROM TCASII, ONLY THE YELLOW TA. AS I CONTINUED THE DSCNT IN ORDER TO MEET THE XING RESTR, I WAS ABLE TO IDENT THE ACFT AS A LEARJET. THE LEAR HAD PASSED UNDER US AND WAS OFF OUR R WING BY THE TIME ATC CAME BACK AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 17000 FT. THE TFC HAD ALREADY PASSED AND WAS APPROX 3 MI TO OUR R AND 900 FT BELOW OUR ALT ACCORDING TO MY TCASII DISPLAY. WE WERE AT APPROX 16500 FT ON MY ALTIMETER AND APPROX 44 DME ON THE 059 DEG RADIAL FROM SPA WHEN THE LEAR PASSED UNDERNEATH. ATC CALLED THE TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, BUT THE TFC WAS AT APPROX 3 MI AND 900 FT BELOW AT OUR 2-3 O'CLOCK POS. THE CAPT THEN ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. HE QUESTIONED THE CLRNC THAT WE HAD RECEIVED AND ATC SAID THAT HE HAD CLRED US TO 17000 FT AND NOT TO 13000 FT AT 40 DME ON THE 059 DEG RADIAL FROM SPA -- THIS WAS AN EXPECT CLRNC. ATC THEN ISSUED US A DSCNT TO 13000 FT. ZTL WAS TOO BUSY TO GIVE US ANY INFO WHILE WE WERE ON HIS FREQ AND HANDED US OFF TO CLT APCH. WE WERE NOT GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL UNTIL WE WERE WITH GSP APCH ON A 15 MI FINAL. THE CAPT CALLED THE CTR ONCE ON THE GND AND WAS TOLD THAT THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM HAD SENSED A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

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.