During climb, air carrier was issued a descent and radar vector because of conflicting traffic.

Attributes
ACN	125120
Time
Date	198910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : txk
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 20000 msl bound upper : 20600
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000
ASRS Report	125120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was performing duties as captain on large transport X, which originated at dfw. I had been cleared to fly the dallas 7 departure texarkana transition. While climbing to FL230 and 91 DME from texarkana, I was switched over to ZFW. As we were passing 20600', the controller instructed us to descend back down to FL200, as we had traffic at our 9 O'clock position, 5 mi, at FL210 southbound. He further instructed us to turn right 20 degrees. We complied. The tone of his voice indicated to me that this was an immediate necessity. We never saw the traffic, but immediately nosed the aircraft over, reduced power to idle and turned 20 degrees with a bank of 25 degrees. We leveled off at FL200. Subsequently we were cleared to FL310, and cleared to proceed direct to texarkana VOR. The following morning, I called the ATC facility in ft worth and spoke to the supervisor, who advised me that he knew of the incident, and advised me that there had been a breakdown in communication between the high and low sectors which controled my flight--but that even though I had been issued a clearance above FL210 in error, minimum sep had not been compromised.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING CLIMB, ACR WAS ISSUED A DESCENT AND RADAR VECTOR BECAUSE OF CONFLICTING TRAFFIC.

Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING DUTIES AS CAPT ON LGT X, WHICH ORIGINATED AT DFW. I HAD BEEN CLRED TO FLY THE DALLAS 7 DEP TEXARKANA TRANSITION. WHILE CLBING TO FL230 AND 91 DME FROM TEXARKANA, I WAS SWITCHED OVER TO ZFW. AS WE WERE PASSING 20600', THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO DSND BACK DOWN TO FL200, AS WE HAD TFC AT OUR 9 O'CLOCK POS, 5 MI, AT FL210 SBND. HE FURTHER INSTRUCTED US TO TURN RIGHT 20 DEGS. WE COMPLIED. THE TONE OF HIS VOICE INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS WAS AN IMMEDIATE NECESSITY. WE NEVER SAW THE TFC, BUT IMMEDIATELY NOSED THE ACFT OVER, REDUCED PWR TO IDLE AND TURNED 20 DEGS WITH A BANK OF 25 DEGS. WE LEVELED OFF AT FL200. SUBSEQUENTLY WE WERE CLRED TO FL310, AND CLRED TO PROCEED DIRECT TO TEXARKANA VOR. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I CALLED THE ATC FAC IN FT WORTH AND SPOKE TO THE SUPVR, WHO ADVISED ME THAT HE KNEW OF THE INCIDENT, AND ADVISED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A BREAKDOWN IN COM BTWN THE HIGH AND LOW SECTORS WHICH CTLED MY FLT--BUT THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAD BEEN ISSUED A CLRNC ABOVE FL210 IN ERROR, MINIMUM SEP HAD NOT BEEN COMPROMISED.

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.