Potential conflict ensues when the PF first officer accepts a descent clearance that generates a TCASII RA for opposite direction traffic below CL65 en route to ord, il.

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Attributes
ACN	553403
Time
Date	200207
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tower : srq.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	553403
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Facility Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

En route from atl to ord, upon approach ord (135 mi), I told first officer (PF) that I was off #1 VHF. He acknowledged. I was trying to get ord ATIS (reception from that direction is very poor). I saw that first officer was talking to center, switched altitude alerter and contacted new controller. First officer initiated a descent. I looked at TCASII display and saw traffic approaching at -900 ft. We were at FL240 and descending. I then looked and saw he had FL230 set. RA went off calling for climb. First officer didn't respond, at which point I disconnected autoplt and climbed. First officer seemed confused and tried to descend again. I reset altitude to FL240. Center called to make sure about FL240. First officer said previous controller said FL230. I told controller this and he said it may have been. I talked to first officer about questioning ATC when danger is present. Don't just do it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT ENSUES WHEN THE PF FO ACCEPTS A DSCNT CLRNC THAT GENERATES A TCASII RA FOR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC BELOW CL65 ENRTE TO ORD, IL.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ATL TO ORD, UPON APCH ORD (135 MI), I TOLD FO (PF) THAT I WAS OFF #1 VHF. HE ACKNOWLEDGED. I WAS TRYING TO GET ORD ATIS (RECEPTION FROM THAT DIRECTION IS VERY POOR). I SAW THAT FO WAS TALKING TO CTR, SWITCHED ALT ALERTER AND CONTACTED NEW CTLR. FO INITIATED A DSCNT. I LOOKED AT TCASII DISPLAY AND SAW TFC APCHING AT -900 FT. WE WERE AT FL240 AND DSNDING. I THEN LOOKED AND SAW HE HAD FL230 SET. RA WENT OFF CALLING FOR CLB. FO DIDN'T RESPOND, AT WHICH POINT I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND CLBED. FO SEEMED CONFUSED AND TRIED TO DSND AGAIN. I RESET ALT TO FL240. CTR CALLED TO MAKE SURE ABOUT FL240. FO SAID PREVIOUS CTLR SAID FL230. I TOLD CTLR THIS AND HE SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN. I TALKED TO FO ABOUT QUESTIONING ATC WHEN DANGER IS PRESENT. DON'T JUST DO IT.

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.