B737 crew were issued holding instructions at 9000 ft. The controller changed the altitude to 10000 ft when the alert crew asked the ZNY controller if there was already traffic in the holding pattern at 9000 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	427630
Time
Date	199902
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : bunts
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : holding
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors arrival : holding pattern arrival star : bunts
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	arrival : holding pattern arrival star : bunts
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	427630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While descending on arrival to phl, we were given direct bunts, descend to 9000 ft. Traffic saturation started to occur and holding instructions were being given to aircraft preceding us. At approximately 5 mi before bunts, we were given holding instructions for bunts. We asked ATC to confirm the altitude because we thought that another aircraft was holding at bunts at 9000 ft. Our TCASII did confirm the other aircraft altitude. ATC then issued an immediate turn to 180 des and climb to 10000 ft. I believe that the problem is too many aircraft and not enough runways at phl.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW WERE ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT 9000 FT. THE CTLR CHANGED THE ALT TO 10000 FT WHEN THE ALERT CREW ASKED THE ZNY CTLR IF THERE WAS ALREADY TFC IN THE HOLDING PATTERN AT 9000 FT.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING ON ARR TO PHL, WE WERE GIVEN DIRECT BUNTS, DSND TO 9000 FT. TFC SATURATION STARTED TO OCCUR AND HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WERE BEING GIVEN TO ACFT PRECEDING US. AT APPROX 5 MI BEFORE BUNTS, WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUNTS. WE ASKED ATC TO CONFIRM THE ALT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THAT ANOTHER ACFT WAS HOLDING AT BUNTS AT 9000 FT. OUR TCASII DID CONFIRM THE OTHER ACFT ALT. ATC THEN ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 180 DES AND CLB TO 10000 FT. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROB IS TOO MANY ACFT AND NOT ENOUGH RWYS AT PHL.

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.