Almost less than standard separation between opposite direction traffic on same airway.

Attributes
ACN	84565
Time
Date	198803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : auo
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8400 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : mgm
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	84565
Person 2
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan, an initial contact to mgm approach control was made. The controller asked our position because he stated he did not have a flight strip on us. While maintaining 11000' a clearance was received to expedite descent through 9000', descend and maintain 6000'. The clearance was acknowledged and a rate of descent of approximately 1000 FPM was used through 9000'. At approximately 8600' the descent rate was slowed to 500-600 FPM. The controller started calling out traffic at 1 O'clock, then at 3 O'clock at 9000' and 3 1/2 mi. He started reading us the riot act about not expediting our descent. I told him we followed the clearance through 9000', then because we were unpressurized and entering the cloud tops, we were slowing our rate to 500-600 FPM. After thinking about it, it appears the controller made a mistake and was trying to put the blame on us over the radio. If the conflicting traffic was at 9000', then the clearance should have been to expedite to 8000', descend and maintain 6000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALMOST LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TRAFFIC ON SAME AIRWAY.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, AN INITIAL CONTACT TO MGM APCH CTL WAS MADE. THE CTLR ASKED OUR POS BECAUSE HE STATED HE DID NOT HAVE A FLT STRIP ON US. WHILE MAINTAINING 11000' A CLRNC WAS RECEIVED TO EXPEDITE DSCNT THROUGH 9000', DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000'. THE CLRNC WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND A RATE OF DSCNT OF APPROX 1000 FPM WAS USED THROUGH 9000'. AT APPROX 8600' THE DSCNT RATE WAS SLOWED TO 500-600 FPM. THE CTLR STARTED CALLING OUT TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK, THEN AT 3 O'CLOCK AT 9000' AND 3 1/2 MI. HE STARTED READING US THE RIOT ACT ABOUT NOT EXPEDITING OUR DSCNT. I TOLD HIM WE FOLLOWED THE CLRNC THROUGH 9000', THEN BECAUSE WE WERE UNPRESSURIZED AND ENTERING THE CLOUD TOPS, WE WERE SLOWING OUR RATE TO 500-600 FPM. AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, IT APPEARS THE CTLR MADE A MISTAKE AND WAS TRYING TO PUT THE BLAME ON US OVER THE RADIO. IF THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS AT 9000', THEN THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO EXPEDITE TO 8000', DSND AND MAINTAIN 6000'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.