B737-300 flight crew follows TCASII RA descending to FL280.

Attributes
ACN	440033
Time
Date	199906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : aco.vor
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	440061
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3800
ASRS Report	440033
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 27000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZOB cleared us from FL310 to FL280. I read back clearance to FL280 and selected FL280 in our altitude alert window. The first officer (PF) confirmed FL280 and began descent. We were then given a frequency change. As I checked in on the new frequency descending to FL280, we saw traffic on the TCASII. Shortly thereafter we had an RA on the other traffic. The traffic passed almost 5 mi away. I told ZOB we were in climb for an RA, and asked what altitude he wanted us to maintain. He then assigned us FL290. This probably was a communication error between ATC and the crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLC FOLLOWS TCASII RA DSNDING TO FL280.

Narrative: ZOB CLRED US FROM FL310 TO FL280. I READ BACK CLRNC TO FL280 AND SELECTED FL280 IN OUR ALT ALERT WINDOW. THE FO (PF) CONFIRMED FL280 AND BEGAN DSCNT. WE WERE THEN GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. AS I CHKED IN ON THE NEW FREQ DSNDING TO FL280, WE SAW TFC ON THE TCASII. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE HAD AN RA ON THE OTHER TFC. THE TFC PASSED ALMOST 5 MI AWAY. I TOLD ZOB WE WERE IN CLB FOR AN RA, AND ASKED WHAT ALT HE WANTED US TO MAINTAIN. HE THEN ASSIGNED US FL290. THIS PROBABLY WAS A COM ERROR BTWN ATC AND THE CREW.

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.