Air carrier has traffic conflict near ric, va.

Attributes
ACN	460581
Time
Date	200001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 21000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : hpn.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : yeast.1
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	460581
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : zdc.artcc

Narrative:

Climbing out of richmond switched to the high altitude controller who cleared us to FL310 (which we had asked for as a final) and read it back. Captain was making a PA. Controller acknowledged readback and mentioned traffic to our right (north) about the time we received a TCASII alert with RA we picked up the traffic (there was no threat of impact) RA was descend. Controller asked if we were level at 21000 ft and I said no we're climbing as cleared to 31000 ft and that we had the traffic in sight. He made no other mention of the incident, but did say to another plane how they were very busy. After the incident, he sounded somewhat agitated and then the voice changed to another controller. I'm assuming it was a shift change. It was absolutely imperative that clrncs are read back, and understood by crews and controllers. This new FAA 'thing' about not being responsible as a controller for the readback is patently unsafe and foolish.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS TFC CONFLICT NEAR RIC, VA.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF RICHMOND SWITCHED TO THE HIGH ALT CTLR WHO CLRED US TO FL310 (WHICH WE HAD ASKED FOR AS A FINAL) AND READ IT BACK. CAPT WAS MAKING A PA. CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED READBACK AND MENTIONED TFC TO OUR R (N) ABOUT THE TIME WE RECEIVED A TCASII ALERT WITH RA WE PICKED UP THE TFC (THERE WAS NO THREAT OF IMPACT) RA WAS DSND. CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE LEVEL AT 21000 FT AND I SAID NO WE'RE CLBING AS CLRED TO 31000 FT AND THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. HE MADE NO OTHER MENTION OF THE INCIDENT, BUT DID SAY TO ANOTHER PLANE HOW THEY WERE VERY BUSY. AFTER THE INCIDENT, HE SOUNDED SOMEWHAT AGITATED AND THEN THE VOICE CHANGED TO ANOTHER CTLR. I'M ASSUMING IT WAS A SHIFT CHANGE. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT CLRNCS ARE READ BACK, AND UNDERSTOOD BY CREWS AND CTLRS. THIS NEW FAA 'THING' ABOUT NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE AS A CTLR FOR THE READBACK IS PATENTLY UNSAFE AND FOOLISH.

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.