Narrative:

We had crossed bramr intersection which is the arrival gate to mkc at 12000 ft. Center told us to contact approach control on 132.95. When we switched over, the frequency was busy and had to wait to check on. When we checked on, the controller told us to descend to 6000 ft and fly 210 degree or 220 degree heading (I can't remember which). The copilot switched to #2 radio to call the FBO to advise them of our arrival. There was still a lot of airplanes on the frequency and several times xmissions were blocked. When we were out of about 9200 ft or so, the TCASII called traffic. I switched to a lower scale and saw a target 1200 ft below about 1 O'clock and 5 mi approximately. This would put the target at 8000 ft nebound. The controller was talking to other aircraft so there wasn't time to inquire without blocking the frequency. As I kept watching for the target and monitoring the TCASII, I decided to level at 8500 ft until clear of traffic. I visually saw the aircraft at about 8700 ft MSL and continued on down to 8600 ft and leveled. As the king air passed about 12-11 O'clock when the controller told us to maintain 9000 ft we climbed back to 9000 ft and told the controller we had the traffic in sight. To keep this from happening again maybe we should have been switched to the controller who handles downtown mkc traffic sooner which would have helped relieve the heavy workload of the mci controller and frequency congestion. If we were told a different altitude other than 6000 ft neither my copilot nor myself remember reading it back to approach control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A DSCNT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT NEAR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: WE HAD CROSSED BRAMR INTXN WHICH IS THE ARR GATE TO MKC AT 12000 FT. CTR TOLD US TO CONTACT APCH CTL ON 132.95. WHEN WE SWITCHED OVER, THE FREQ WAS BUSY AND HAD TO WAIT TO CHK ON. WHEN WE CHKED ON, THE CTLR TOLD US TO DSND TO 6000 FT AND FLY 210 DEG OR 220 DEG HDG (I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH). THE COPLT SWITCHED TO #2 RADIO TO CALL THE FBO TO ADVISE THEM OF OUR ARR. THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF AIRPLANES ON THE FREQ AND SEVERAL TIMES XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED. WHEN WE WERE OUT OF ABOUT 9200 FT OR SO, THE TCASII CALLED TFC. I SWITCHED TO A LOWER SCALE AND SAW A TARGET 1200 FT BELOW ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK AND 5 MI APPROX. THIS WOULD PUT THE TARGET AT 8000 FT NEBOUND. THE CTLR WAS TALKING TO OTHER ACFT SO THERE WASN'T TIME TO INQUIRE WITHOUT BLOCKING THE FREQ. AS I KEPT WATCHING FOR THE TARGET AND MONITORING THE TCASII, I DECIDED TO LEVEL AT 8500 FT UNTIL CLR OF TFC. I VISUALLY SAW THE ACFT AT ABOUT 8700 FT MSL AND CONTINUED ON DOWN TO 8600 FT AND LEVELED. AS THE KING AIR PASSED ABOUT 12-11 O'CLOCK WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 9000 FT WE CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT AND TOLD THE CTLR WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SWITCHED TO THE CTLR WHO HANDLES DOWNTOWN MKC TFC SOONER WHICH WOULD HAVE HELPED RELIEVE THE HVY WORKLOAD OF THE MCI CTLR AND FREQ CONGESTION. IF WE WERE TOLD A DIFFERENT ALT OTHER THAN 6000 FT NEITHER MY COPLT NOR MYSELF REMEMBER READING IT BACK TO APCH CTL.

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.