EMB145 crew had less than legal separation on arrival to hou in iah class B.

Attributes
ACN	470067
Time
Date	200004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5600 msl bound upper : 6400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : struk 8
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	IAI1121 Jetcommander
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	470067
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : provided flight assist flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to 6000 ft on the struk 8 arrival into houston hobby. We were flying in and out of clouds. At +/-6500 ft, ATC called 'level off now, traffic 12 O'clock busted his altitude!' within seconds, the TCASII advised us of 'traffic.' we saw a jet commander 'zip' below us, in opposite direction, through some breaks in the clouds. TCASII readout said 800 ft separation between us and traffic. We leveled off at 6400 ft. Then we descended to 6000 ft after talking to ATC. Traffic was behind us now. No RA from TCASII due to our leveloff. ATC instructions to us were precise, quick and high stress tone. It got our attention fast. This situation happened before reaching the ading intersection on the struck 8 arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION ON ARR TO HOU IN IAH CLASS B.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO 6000 FT ON THE STRUK 8 ARR INTO HOUSTON HOBBY. WE WERE FLYING IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS. AT +/-6500 FT, ATC CALLED 'LEVEL OFF NOW, TFC 12 O'CLOCK BUSTED HIS ALT!' WITHIN SECONDS, THE TCASII ADVISED US OF 'TFC.' WE SAW A JET COMMANDER 'ZIP' BELOW US, IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THROUGH SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS. TCASII READOUT SAID 800 FT SEPARATION BTWN US AND TFC. WE LEVELED OFF AT 6400 FT. THEN WE DSNDED TO 6000 FT AFTER TALKING TO ATC. TFC WAS BEHIND US NOW. NO RA FROM TCASII DUE TO OUR LEVELOFF. ATC INSTRUCTIONS TO US WERE PRECISE, QUICK AND HIGH STRESS TONE. IT GOT OUR ATTN FAST. THIS SIT HAPPENED BEFORE REACHING THE ADING INTXN ON THE STRUCK 8 ARR.

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.