Narrative:

We were cleared direct from elb to gen by rome center then over to milan ATC. On at least 2 separate occasions, we advised milan that their radio xmissions were cutting out. At approximately 10 NM south of gen VOR, we received an RA on TCASII indicating intruder traffic at 12 O'clock, opposite direction, at same level. He may have been descending -- we took evasive action and descended to FL270. Other traffic seemed to turn to left (east). ATC did not want to discuss this and handed us over to another controller. We had just received a clearance to FL310 about 30 seconds prior to this event -- much too close to opposite traffic. I believe we were put in a very precarious situation -- bordering on criminal -- had we not taken immediate action, we would probably be part of the city of genoa. Supplemental information from acn 282208: we were in contact with milan ATC on 125.27 at XA31 UTC. We were cleared from FL280 to FL310. We accelerated for approximately 30 seconds to 1 min prior to initiating our climb to FL310. I noticed a yellow TA on the TCASII at about 800 ft above us descending. At about 10 mi, the aircraft continued on a converging course. I had the aircraft visually. At about the time of visual contact we received a TCASII RA to descend. We advised milan on 3 occasions that we were not receiving his xmissions. He advised us to check our VHF. Although we had a visual reference with the other aircraft, I feel the TCASII warning provided us with the additional data that gave us a safety margin we would not have had without it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT FROM ELB TO GEN BY ROME CTR THEN OVER TO MILAN ATC. ON AT LEAST 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WE ADVISED MILAN THAT THEIR RADIO XMISSIONS WERE CUTTING OUT. AT APPROX 10 NM S OF GEN VOR, WE RECEIVED AN RA ON TCASII INDICATING INTRUDER TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AT SAME LEVEL. HE MAY HAVE BEEN DSNDING -- WE TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND DSNDED TO FL270. OTHER TFC SEEMED TO TURN TO L (E). ATC DID NOT WANT TO DISCUSS THIS AND HANDED US OVER TO ANOTHER CTLR. WE HAD JUST RECEIVED A CLRNC TO FL310 ABOUT 30 SECONDS PRIOR TO THIS EVENT -- MUCH TOO CLOSE TO OPPOSITE TFC. I BELIEVE WE WERE PUT IN A VERY PRECARIOUS SIT -- BORDERING ON CRIMINAL -- HAD WE NOT TAKEN IMMEDIATE ACTION, WE WOULD PROBABLY BE PART OF THE CITY OF GENOA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 282208: WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH MILAN ATC ON 125.27 AT XA31 UTC. WE WERE CLRED FROM FL280 TO FL310. WE ACCELERATED FOR APPROX 30 SECONDS TO 1 MIN PRIOR TO INITIATING OUR CLB TO FL310. I NOTICED A YELLOW TA ON THE TCASII AT ABOUT 800 FT ABOVE US DSNDING. AT ABOUT 10 MI, THE ACFT CONTINUED ON A CONVERGING COURSE. I HAD THE ACFT VISUALLY. AT ABOUT THE TIME OF VISUAL CONTACT WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA TO DSND. WE ADVISED MILAN ON 3 OCCASIONS THAT WE WERE NOT RECEIVING HIS XMISSIONS. HE ADVISED US TO CHK OUR VHF. ALTHOUGH WE HAD A VISUAL REF WITH THE OTHER ACFT, I FEEL THE TCASII WARNING PROVIDED US WITH THE ADDITIONAL DATA THAT GAVE US A SAFETY MARGIN WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD WITHOUT IT.

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.