Narrative:

Air carrier X was assigned an intermediate altitude of 17000 ft by ZDC frequency 132.05. We were heading about 220 degrees when ATC told us to make left turn to 010 degrees with no further instructions. I asked him the reason for the turn and he said traffic Y, 12 O'clock, same altitude. He then told us to climb to 18000 ft. I asked him how the conflict had occurred and he told me he was too busy to explain. He then switched us to another frequency. We are investigating the incident through our company. The one suggestion I would make is to offer immunity to controllers if they make an error so they are not reluctant to give relevant information to the crews. Supplemental information from acn 246154: given an immediate left turn to 180 degrees followed by 'climb to FL180.' when asked what problem was, controller responded 'conflict at 17000 ft.' when questioned further, was told 'I am too busy right now.' we were given a frequency change. TCASII had given us a conflict at the same time we were given the turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TCASII TA HAD LTSS FROM Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ASSIGNED AN INTERMEDIATE ALT OF 17000 FT BY ZDC FREQ 132.05. WE WERE HDG ABOUT 220 DEGS WHEN ATC TOLD US TO MAKE L TURN TO 010 DEGS WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. I ASKED HIM THE REASON FOR THE TURN AND HE SAID TFC Y, 12 O'CLOCK, SAME ALT. HE THEN TOLD US TO CLB TO 18000 FT. I ASKED HIM HOW THE CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED AND HE TOLD ME HE WAS TOO BUSY TO EXPLAIN. HE THEN SWITCHED US TO ANOTHER FREQ. WE ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT THROUGH OUR COMPANY. THE ONE SUGGESTION I WOULD MAKE IS TO OFFER IMMUNITY TO CTLRS IF THEY MAKE AN ERROR SO THEY ARE NOT RELUCTANT TO GIVE RELEVANT INFO TO THE CREWS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 246154: GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 180 DEGS FOLLOWED BY 'CLB TO FL180.' WHEN ASKED WHAT PROB WAS, CTLR RESPONDED 'CONFLICT AT 17000 FT.' WHEN QUESTIONED FURTHER, WAS TOLD 'I AM TOO BUSY RIGHT NOW.' WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. TCASII HAD GIVEN US A CONFLICT AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE GIVEN THE TURN.

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.