A319 flight crew is instructed to 'turn immediately' and descend following a clearance to climb.

Attributes
ACN	755211
Time
Date	200709
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	755211
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	755212
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were given a climb from FL190 to FL230 from ZJX. As we were climbing the controller asked us to stop the climb at FL210 and we did. Just as we leveled at FL210 and controller reclred us to FL230. We acknowledged his clearance and started climbing to FL230. As we passed through FL216 the controller told us to maintain FL210 and turn right 30 degrees. It was at this time we received a traffic alert from our TCAS. The alert never progressed to an RA. We never had visual contact with the other aircraft. Shortly after we leveled back off at FL210 the controller cleared us back on course and reclred us to FL230. We determined an event had occurred when the controller told us to turn right immediately 30 degrees and maintain to FL210. At about the same time the controller issued his instructions the TCAS said traffic; traffic. Also we heard the other aircraft report that they had us in sight. When the frequency is very busy as it was; maybe using a shorter range on the nd scale to display traffic better in relation to your aircraft so if climb or descent is given that seems questionable you could query the controller to make sure that is what they want and you are the aircraft they are talking to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW IS INSTRUCTED TO 'TURN IMMEDIATELY' AND DESCEND FOLLOWING A CLRNC TO CLIMB.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLB FROM FL190 TO FL230 FROM ZJX. AS WE WERE CLBING THE CTLR ASKED US TO STOP THE CLB AT FL210 AND WE DID. JUST AS WE LEVELED AT FL210 AND CTLR RECLRED US TO FL230. WE ACKNOWLEDGED HIS CLRNC AND STARTED CLBING TO FL230. AS WE PASSED THROUGH FL216 THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN FL210 AND TURN R 30 DEGS. IT WAS AT THIS TIME WE RECEIVED A TFC ALERT FROM OUR TCAS. THE ALERT NEVER PROGRESSED TO AN RA. WE NEVER HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT. SHORTLY AFTER WE LEVELED BACK OFF AT FL210 THE CTLR CLRED US BACK ON COURSE AND RECLRED US TO FL230. WE DETERMINED AN EVENT HAD OCCURRED WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN R IMMEDIATELY 30 DEGS AND MAINTAIN TO FL210. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR ISSUED HIS INSTRUCTIONS THE TCAS SAID TFC; TFC. ALSO WE HEARD THE OTHER ACFT RPT THAT THEY HAD US IN SIGHT. WHEN THE FREQ IS VERY BUSY AS IT WAS; MAYBE USING A SHORTER RANGE ON THE ND SCALE TO DISPLAY TFC BETTER IN RELATION TO YOUR ACFT SO IF CLB OR DSCNT IS GIVEN THAT SEEMS QUESTIONABLE YOU COULD QUERY THE CTLR TO MAKE SURE THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT AND YOU ARE THE ACFT THEY ARE TALKING TO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.