Narrative:

I was trying to obtain ATIS from ewr. Due to the large volume of ATC calls, the intermittent reception of ewr ATIS, and the captain/first officer request to receive ATIS as soon as possible, due to unfamiliarity of airport and runway in use (for briefing), I turned down ATC volume to try and obtain ewr ATIS. While on descent from FL190, the ewr ATIS was still coming in broken. At approximately 12500 ft we received a TCASII advisory and I looked up front to see our altitude and the intruders altitude/direction. The intruder was observed at the 12 O'clock position going to 11 O'clock, as we leveled off at 12200 ft. At that same time I turned my ATC volume back up and listened to the controller ask us to climb to 13000 ft. At that point the captain/first officer briefly discussed the situation and the captain then briefly discussed the situation with ATC. I then continued to try and get ATIS but was unable to clearly receive ewr ATIS until within 50 NM of ewr at 10000 ft. Contributing factors: extremely busy frequency with like sounding call signs to our own. Suspect that is where 10000 ft number came from. Could not receive ATIS within 50 NM, causing so to be out of loop. Arrival chart expect altitude of 7000 ft in front of us contributing to the assistance of 10000 ft being a reasonable altitude. Subconscious correlation of 10000 ft and 250 KTS. No controller readback acknowledgement or correction of our acceptance. Suggestions of how to prevent recurrence: ATC acknowledgement/correction of all aircraft altitude readbacks. ACARS on all aircraft in order to receive digital ATIS during critical phases of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC ACCEPTED A DSCNT CLRNC IN ERROR. ACFT CAME WITHIN 2 PT 5 NM OF ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS TRYING TO OBTAIN ATIS FROM EWR. DUE TO THE LARGE VOLUME OF ATC CALLS, THE INTERMITTENT RECEPTION OF EWR ATIS, AND THE CAPT/FO REQUEST TO RECEIVE ATIS ASAP, DUE TO UNFAMILIARITY OF ARPT AND RWY IN USE (FOR BRIEFING), I TURNED DOWN ATC VOLUME TO TRY AND OBTAIN EWR ATIS. WHILE ON DSCNT FROM FL190, THE EWR ATIS WAS STILL COMING IN BROKEN. AT APPROX 12500 FT WE RECEIVED A TCASII ADVISORY AND I LOOKED UP FRONT TO SEE OUR ALT AND THE INTRUDERS ALT/DIRECTION. THE INTRUDER WAS OBSERVED AT THE 12 O'CLOCK POS GOING TO 11 O'CLOCK, AS WE LEVELED OFF AT 12200 FT. AT THAT SAME TIME I TURNED MY ATC VOLUME BACK UP AND LISTENED TO THE CTLR ASK US TO CLB TO 13000 FT. AT THAT POINT THE CAPT/FO BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE SIT AND THE CAPT THEN BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH ATC. I THEN CONTINUED TO TRY AND GET ATIS BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLRLY RECEIVE EWR ATIS UNTIL WITHIN 50 NM OF EWR AT 10000 FT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: EXTREMELY BUSY FREQ WITH LIKE SOUNDING CALL SIGNS TO OUR OWN. SUSPECT THAT IS WHERE 10000 FT NUMBER CAME FROM. COULD NOT RECEIVE ATIS WITHIN 50 NM, CAUSING SO TO BE OUT OF LOOP. ARR CHART EXPECT ALT OF 7000 FT IN FRONT OF US CONTRIBUTING TO THE ASSISTANCE OF 10000 FT BEING A REASONABLE ALT. SUBCONSCIOUS CORRELATION OF 10000 FT AND 250 KTS. NO CTLR READBACK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR CORRECTION OF OUR ACCEPTANCE. SUGGESTIONS OF HOW TO PREVENT RECURRENCE: ATC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT/CORRECTION OF ALL ACFT ALT READBACKS. ACARS ON ALL ACFT IN ORDER TO RECEIVE DIGITAL ATIS DURING CRITICAL PHASES OF FLT.

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.