Narrative:

On flight from sat to dal we were climbing to our cleared altitude FL180. Approaching 17100 we received a TCASII advisory of company traffic at our 1 O'clock position. We acquired the traffic visually at approximately 1 O'clock and 8 mi, slightly high. We determined there was no collision threat. As we were passing 17400 ft, the controller advised us to descend to 17000 ft. We were climbing at approximately 2000 FPM. We advised the controller we had the traffic visually and made a gradual pushover, our maximum altitude was approximately 17600. As we started our descent the conflicting traffic was well clear at our 10 O'clock and approximately 10 mi. There was no need to take any drastic action to comply with ATC request or avoid the collision. The TCASII advisory was most helpful in this potentially dangerous situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLC CLBING THROUGH 17000 CLRED LEVEL AT 17000 FOR TFC SAW TFC ON TCASII. NO ALERT. TFC 8 MI SAME ALT.

Narrative: ON FLT FROM SAT TO DAL WE WERE CLBING TO OUR CLRED ALT FL180. APCHING 17100 WE RECEIVED A TCASII ADVISORY OF COMPANY TFC AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. WE ACQUIRED THE TFC VISUALLY AT APPROX 1 O'CLOCK AND 8 MI, SLIGHTLY HIGH. WE DETERMINED THERE WAS NO COLLISION THREAT. AS WE WERE PASSING 17400 FT, THE CTLR ADVISED US TO DSND TO 17000 FT. WE WERE CLBING AT APPROX 2000 FPM. WE ADVISED THE CTLR WE HAD THE TFC VISUALLY AND MADE A GRADUAL PUSHOVER, OUR MAX ALT WAS APPROX 17600. AS WE STARTED OUR DSCNT THE CONFLICTING TFC WAS WELL CLR AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK AND APPROX 10 MI. THERE WAS NO NEED TO TAKE ANY DRASTIC ACTION TO COMPLY WITH ATC REQUEST OR AVOID THE COLLISION. THE TCASII ADVISORY WAS MOST HELPFUL IN THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

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.