While in a descent, an air carrier took evasive action due to opposite direction traffic.

Attributes
ACN	111636
Time
Date	198905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sat
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	111636
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	111633
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were under ATC handling by sat approach. We had been cleared to descend to 6000' after marcs intersection inbound to sat VOR. As we were about to descend through 7000', sat approach called us and said what sounded like, 'expedite through 6000',' west/O any urgency in his voice. The first officer and I looked at each other for clarification and the first officer immediately radioed that we were only cleared to 6000'. At this time, a different voice (ATC) said, 'turn right immediately and descend to 6000', traffic 12 O'clock, 7000'.' I clicked off the autoplt, banked right up to approximately 40 degrees and pushed the nose over. The first officer saw a single engine small aircraft type at our altitude starting a right turn. I then saw it as it passed to our left and slightly above us. I believe there was a trainee controller who wasn't paying attention to the approaching conflict and when he realized it, tried to remain cooler than the situation warranted. Obviously, if it was a trnee, the instrument was not doing his job until it was almost too late. Additionally, I would like to say that at the moment of the near miss, neither I nor the first officer were preoccupied with cockpit duties such as checklists, etc. We were both basically looking outside the cockpit and still did not see the other aircraft until after ATC pointed him out. An airborne traffic alert and avoidance system is sorely needed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE IN A DESCENT, AN ACR TOOK EVASIVE ACTION DUE TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION TRAFFIC.

Narrative: WE WERE UNDER ATC HANDLING BY SAT APCH. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO DSND TO 6000' AFTER MARCS INTXN INBND TO SAT VOR. AS WE WERE ABOUT TO DSND THROUGH 7000', SAT APCH CALLED US AND SAID WHAT SOUNDED LIKE, 'EXPEDITE THROUGH 6000',' W/O ANY URGENCY IN HIS VOICE. THE F/O AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER FOR CLARIFICATION AND THE F/O IMMEDIATELY RADIOED THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 6000'. AT THIS TIME, A DIFFERENT VOICE (ATC) SAID, 'TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY AND DSND TO 6000', TFC 12 O'CLOCK, 7000'.' I CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT, BANKED RIGHT UP TO APPROX 40 DEGS AND PUSHED THE NOSE OVER. THE F/O SAW A SINGLE ENG SMA TYPE AT OUR ALT STARTING A RIGHT TURN. I THEN SAW IT AS IT PASSED TO OUR LEFT AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE US. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A TRAINEE CTLR WHO WASN'T PAYING ATTN TO THE APCHING CONFLICT AND WHEN HE REALIZED IT, TRIED TO REMAIN COOLER THAN THE SITUATION WARRANTED. OBVIOUSLY, IF IT WAS A TRNEE, THE INSTR WAS NOT DOING HIS JOB UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST TOO LATE. ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT AT THE MOMENT OF THE NEAR MISS, NEITHER I NOR THE F/O WERE PREOCCUPIED WITH COCKPIT DUTIES SUCH AS CHKLISTS, ETC. WE WERE BOTH BASICALLY LOOKING OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT AND STILL DID NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL AFTER ATC POINTED HIM OUT. AN AIRBORNE TFC ALERT AND AVOIDANCE SYS IS SORELY NEEDED.

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.