Narrative:

100 NM north of bwg, ZID told us to 'climb to FL310 and expedite through FL260.' as we approached FL240, indy told us to level at our present altitude. We were climbing at approximately 3000 FPM, so advised them that we would stop our climb and descended back to FL240. We were able to stop the climb at FL245 and about that time, we received an RA to descend. Traffic was at 2 O'clock position, and descending through FL250 as we were descending to FL240. I acquired visual contact and advised ATC that we had the traffic in sight and were level at FL240. There was no indication on the radio that the other aircraft was descending without clearance, so I assume the controller misjudged the closure rate causing the loss of separation. The controller then advised us to continue our climb and he handed us off with no mention of the conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SEPARATION LOSS IN ZID BTWN CLBING AND DSNDING ACFT.

Narrative: 100 NM N OF BWG, ZID TOLD US TO 'CLB TO FL310 AND EXPEDITE THROUGH FL260.' AS WE APCHED FL240, INDY TOLD US TO LEVEL AT OUR PRESENT ALT. WE WERE CLBING AT APPROX 3000 FPM, SO ADVISED THEM THAT WE WOULD STOP OUR CLB AND DSNDED BACK TO FL240. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE CLB AT FL245 AND ABOUT THAT TIME, WE RECEIVED AN RA TO DSND. TFC WAS AT 2 O'CLOCK POS, AND DSNDING THROUGH FL250 AS WE WERE DSNDING TO FL240. I ACQUIRED VISUAL CONTACT AND ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND WERE LEVEL AT FL240. THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE RADIO THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS DSNDING WITHOUT CLRNC, SO I ASSUME THE CTLR MISJUDGED THE CLOSURE RATE CAUSING THE LOSS OF SEPARATION. THE CTLR THEN ADVISED US TO CONTINUE OUR CLB AND HE HANDED US OFF WITH NO MENTION OF THE CONFLICT.

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.