ATC controller inadvertently assigned air carrier frt aircraft to hold at the same altitude as another air carrier frt aircraft experiencing an emergency.

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Attributes
ACN	204445
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rid
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	204445
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	204117
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 11000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On descent to iln we were initially cleared to FL240, then revised to FL280 and given headings (vectors) west of rid. Then cleared to FL260 and told to proceed direct to rid and hold 'left' on the 270 degree radial, 15 mi legs, right turns. We requested an efc but were not given one until he gave a blanket efc of AM00 for all aircraft holding in the area. While holding at FL260 we were cleared to descend to FL240 and read the clearance back. Upon reaching approximately FL244 we were told to climb to FL250. At AM52 we were informed of a possible altitude deviation at AM31. In a telephone conversation with ZID I was told the tapes verified that the controller issued a clearance to us to FL240 and we read that clearance back, when in fact he wanted FL250 since another aircraft was holding at FL240.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC CTLR INADVERTENTLY ASSIGNED ACR FRT ACFT TO HOLD AT THE SAME ALT AS ANOTHER ACR FRT ACFT EXPERIENCING AN EMER.

Narrative: ON DSCNT TO ILN WE WERE INITIALLY CLRED TO FL240, THEN REVISED TO FL280 AND GIVEN HDGS (VECTORS) W OF RID. THEN CLRED TO FL260 AND TOLD TO PROCEED DIRECT TO RID AND HOLD 'L' ON THE 270 DEG RADIAL, 15 MI LEGS, R TURNS. WE REQUESTED AN EFC BUT WERE NOT GIVEN ONE UNTIL HE GAVE A BLANKET EFC OF AM00 FOR ALL ACFT HOLDING IN THE AREA. WHILE HOLDING AT FL260 WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO FL240 AND READ THE CLRNC BACK. UPON REACHING APPROX FL244 WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO FL250. AT AM52 WE WERE INFORMED OF A POSSIBLE ALTDEV AT AM31. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH ZID I WAS TOLD THE TAPES VERIFIED THAT THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO US TO FL240 AND WE READ THAT CLRNC BACK, WHEN IN FACT HE WANTED FL250 SINCE ANOTHER ACFT WAS HOLDING AT FL240.

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.