Narrative:

I was the PF on a part 121 passenger flight from lga to phf (newport news, va). At around FL290 (cruise) the norfolk approach controller advised us to cross 10 mi north of ccv VOR at 10000 ft. We programmed this into FMS, and a few mins later were advised to begin descent. Shortly afterwards, the controller vectored us off course to a heading of around 230 degrees. Then she said to disregard crossing restr, cleared us back to ccv, and 'give me a good rate.' I pulled the speed brake, and we were descending at around 3600 FPM going through 12000 ft when she said to stop and hold a new altitude of 12000 ft. Our kinetic energy carried us to around 11500 ft and as we climbed back up to 12000 ft, we got a TCASII alert (once, not an RA) and saw some type of aircraft pass off our left at a distance of around 3 mi. Flight continued to phf without incident. In conclusion, you cannot stop a 100000 pound jet descending at a high rate in 100 ft. Perhaps remaining on off course vector a while longer would have averted this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B717 CREW HAD LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION IN ORF CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF ON A PART 121 PAX FLT FROM LGA TO PHF (NEWPORT NEWS, VA). AT AROUND FL290 (CRUISE) THE NORFOLK APCH CTLR ADVISED US TO CROSS 10 MI N OF CCV VOR AT 10000 FT. WE PROGRAMMED THIS INTO FMS, AND A FEW MINS LATER WERE ADVISED TO BEGIN DSCNT. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE CTLR VECTORED US OFF COURSE TO A HDG OF AROUND 230 DEGS. THEN SHE SAID TO DISREGARD XING RESTR, CLRED US BACK TO CCV, AND 'GIVE ME A GOOD RATE.' I PULLED THE SPD BRAKE, AND WE WERE DSNDING AT AROUND 3600 FPM GOING THROUGH 12000 FT WHEN SHE SAID TO STOP AND HOLD A NEW ALT OF 12000 FT. OUR KINETIC ENERGY CARRIED US TO AROUND 11500 FT AND AS WE CLBED BACK UP TO 12000 FT, WE GOT A TCASII ALERT (ONCE, NOT AN RA) AND SAW SOME TYPE OF ACFT PASS OFF OUR L AT A DISTANCE OF AROUND 3 MI. FLT CONTINUED TO PHF WITHOUT INCIDENT. IN CONCLUSION, YOU CANNOT STOP A 100000 LB JET DSNDING AT A HIGH RATE IN 100 FT. PERHAPS REMAINING ON OFF COURSE VECTOR A WHILE LONGER WOULD HAVE AVERTED THIS.

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.