Narrative:

While operating a scheduled service flight, air carrier X, ZID controller issued descent clearance from FL350 to FL330. After descending approximately 500 ft, the controller asked my rate of descent. When I told him 500 FPM he responded, 'you'll have to do a lot better than that,' and reclred me to FL310 and asked me to descend at 3000 FPM. While complying with his request, I scanned the TCASII and observed several targets in my flight path, one of them at FL330. TCASII then issued an advisory alert on that traffic (aircraft Y). Continued descent to FL310 as controller issued a clearance to turn 50 degrees left. VMC existed and all traffic sighted visually. I feel that flight safety was compromised when controller issued descent clearance into oncoming traffic at lower altitude without advising of the traffic, and then request an excessive descent rate at high altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZID ISSUES DSCNT CLRNC TO ACR PAX JET. PIC INITIATES A SLOW DSCNT THAT ATC QUESTIONS. CTLR EXPEDITES DSCNT AND ISSUES A 50 DEG TURN AWAY FROM OTHER CONFLICTING TFC. ACTIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT AND A LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURS.

Narrative: WHILE OPERATING A SCHEDULED SVC FLT, ACR X, ZID CTLR ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC FROM FL350 TO FL330. AFTER DSNDING APPROX 500 FT, THE CTLR ASKED MY RATE OF DSCNT. WHEN I TOLD HIM 500 FPM HE RESPONDED, 'YOU'LL HAVE TO DO A LOT BETTER THAN THAT,' AND RECLRED ME TO FL310 AND ASKED ME TO DSND AT 3000 FPM. WHILE COMPLYING WITH HIS REQUEST, I SCANNED THE TCASII AND OBSERVED SEVERAL TARGETS IN MY FLT PATH, ONE OF THEM AT FL330. TCASII THEN ISSUED AN ADVISORY ALERT ON THAT TFC (ACFT Y). CONTINUED DSCNT TO FL310 AS CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO TURN 50 DEGS L. VMC EXISTED AND ALL TFC SIGHTED VISUALLY. I FEEL THAT FLT SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED WHEN CTLR ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC INTO ONCOMING TFC AT LOWER ALT WITHOUT ADVISING OF THE TFC, AND THEN REQUEST AN EXCESSIVE DSCNT RATE AT HIGH ALT.

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.