Flight crew of an medium large transport stopped descent during arrival in response to a TCASII RA and observed traffic. At the same time the approach controller intervened and advised that they had gone beyond their assigned altitude, at which time the rptrs returned to that altitude. However, they believed that the controller was confused since the lower altitude was read back to ATC.

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Attributes
ACN	419821
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phx airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	419821
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	420661
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On arrival into phx we were cleared to descend to 9000 ft and slow to 210 KTS. We were then cleared to descend to 8000 ft which was read back to confirm. While passing 8600 ft we got a TCASII traffic warning (we had the other aircraft in sight). About that time phx approach called and told us we were only cleared to 9000 ft. We climbed back to 9000 ft and nothing else was said by approach control. We feel approach control forgot he cleared us to 8000 ft (approach was very busy at the time). Since it was VMC and we had the other aircraft in sight, there was no real conflict but since we read back the 8000 ft clearance, if approach control did not want us to descend, he should have caught our readback and corrected it. Supplemental information from acn 420661: altitude was 12000 ft. We received clearance to descend to 9000 ft. After that clearance, I left the frequency (captain not flying) to contact company. While I was off, approach contacted us, first officer responded. When I came back, he said we were cleared to 8000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG STOPPED DSCNT DURING ARR IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA AND OBSERVED TFC. AT THE SAME TIME THE APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND ADVISED THAT THEY HAD GONE BEYOND THEIR ASSIGNED ALT, AT WHICH TIME THE RPTRS RETURNED TO THAT ALT. HOWEVER, THEY BELIEVED THAT THE CTLR WAS CONFUSED SINCE THE LOWER ALT WAS READ BACK TO ATC.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO PHX WE WERE CLRED TO DSND TO 9000 FT AND SLOW TO 210 KTS. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO DSND TO 8000 FT WHICH WAS READ BACK TO CONFIRM. WHILE PASSING 8600 FT WE GOT A TCASII TFC WARNING (WE HAD THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT). ABOUT THAT TIME PHX APCH CALLED AND TOLD US WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 9000 FT. WE CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT AND NOTHING ELSE WAS SAID BY APCH CTL. WE FEEL APCH CTL FORGOT HE CLRED US TO 8000 FT (APCH WAS VERY BUSY AT THE TIME). SINCE IT WAS VMC AND WE HAD THE OTHER ACFT IN SIGHT, THERE WAS NO REAL CONFLICT BUT SINCE WE READ BACK THE 8000 FT CLRNC, IF APCH CTL DID NOT WANT US TO DSND, HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT OUR READBACK AND CORRECTED IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 420661: ALT WAS 12000 FT. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND TO 9000 FT. AFTER THAT CLRNC, I LEFT THE FREQ (CAPT NOT FLYING) TO CONTACT COMPANY. WHILE I WAS OFF, APCH CONTACTED US, FO RESPONDED. WHEN I CAME BACK, HE SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT.

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.