Narrative:

We were cleared to FL230 by ZME. We were heading 040 degrees at 320 KIAS climbing. We were told to turn left and level off at FL220. Turning left would have turned us into the traffic. Traffic passed at FL180 approximately 3 NM away. We saw traffic at 17700 ft. ZME accepted full responsibility for the problem to us after we called them once we landed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC-10 FLC WAS ISSUED A HDG CLRNC THAT WOULD HAVE CREATED A CRITICAL CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO FL230 BY ZME. WE WERE HDG 040 DEGS AT 320 KIAS CLBING. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN L AND LEVEL OFF AT FL220. TURNING L WOULD HAVE TURNED US INTO THE TFC. TFC PASSED AT FL180 APPROX 3 NM AWAY. WE SAW TFC AT 17700 FT. ZME ACCEPTED FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROB TO US AFTER WE CALLED THEM ONCE WE LANDED.

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.