Air carrier X TCASII TA flight crew perception less than standard separation. Controller phraseology...

Attributes
ACN	202098
Time
Date	199202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	202098
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

An aircraft blown tire on airport and caused approach control to cancel our visual (expressway visual runway 31) approach. With no explanation approach control said 'descend to and maintain 4000.' (we were already at 2500 ft.) we told them we were at dials intersection at 2500 ft. They said maintain 4000 and cancel approach clearance. I reverified 'do you want us to climb and maintain 4000?' they said 'yes, climb and maintain 4000 ft.' we then asked 'what heading do you want us to fly?' they said 'fly 070 and maintain 4000.' this heading put us head on to air carrier Y at same altitude. When we were given a heading to clear that traffic we were already getting TCASII TA's and we had the other traffic in sight. We passed within 3 mi of air carrier Y. The controller was not using prescribed controller phraseology and should have issued (especially in this unusual situation) specific 'air carrier X, climb to and assigned a heading instructions' instead of 'ad libbing' instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA FLC PERCEPTION LTSS. CTLR PHRASEOLOGY.

Narrative: AN ACFT BLOWN TIRE ON ARPT AND CAUSED APCH CTL TO CANCEL OUR VISUAL (EXPRESSWAY VISUAL RWY 31) APCH. WITH NO EXPLANATION APCH CTL SAID 'DSND TO AND MAINTAIN 4000.' (WE WERE ALREADY AT 2500 FT.) WE TOLD THEM WE WERE AT DIALS INTXN AT 2500 FT. THEY SAID MAINTAIN 4000 AND CANCEL APCH CLRNC. I REVERIFIED 'DO YOU WANT US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000?' THEY SAID 'YES, CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT.' WE THEN ASKED 'WHAT HDG DO YOU WANT US TO FLY?' THEY SAID 'FLY 070 AND MAINTAIN 4000.' THIS HDG PUT US HEAD ON TO ACR Y AT SAME ALT. WHEN WE WERE GIVEN A HDG TO CLR THAT TFC WE WERE ALREADY GETTING TCASII TA'S AND WE HAD THE OTHER TFC IN SIGHT. WE PASSED WITHIN 3 MI OF ACR Y. THE CTLR WAS NOT USING PRESCRIBED CTLR PHRASEOLOGY AND SHOULD HAVE ISSUED (ESPECIALLY IN THIS UNUSUAL SITUATION) SPECIFIC 'ACR X, CLB TO AND ASSIGNED A HDG INSTRUCTIONS' INSTEAD OF 'AD LIBBING' INSTRUCTIONS.

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.