B737-300 flight crew reacting to an ATC immediate descent and concurrent TCASII TA, descends below a...

Attributes
ACN	590401
Time
Date	200308
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : col.vor
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5200 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	590401
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were given a climb to 10000 ft. The first officer acknowledged it, pointed to it in the altitude alerter, and I continued the climb as I acknowledged his point. At approximately 8000 ft, while climbing about 4000 FPM, departure gave us descend immediately to 6000 ft. I immediately stopped the climb and began an aggressive descent using spoilers. We were then given an immediate turn to 270 degrees, which I did. We received a TA, but never an RA. We then saw the traffic and were out of danger by that time. The TCASII showed that we passed about 5 mi and 200 ft below the traffic. Ewr departure asked what happened. First officer responded that we were given and acknowledged a climb to 10000 ft. Controller then responded, 'that was my fault (the controllers fault).' I checked with the flight attendants that no one was hurt and no one was. I then made a PA explaining what had happened. Because of the large descent rate, I descended through 6000-5200 ft before recovering to 6000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW REACTING TO AN ATC IMMEDIATE DSCNT AND CONCURRENT TCASII TA, DSNDS BELOW ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLB TO 10000 FT. THE FO ACKNOWLEDGED IT, POINTED TO IT IN THE ALT ALERTER, AND I CONTINUED THE CLB AS I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS POINT. AT APPROX 8000 FT, WHILE CLBING ABOUT 4000 FPM, DEP GAVE US DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 6000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CLB AND BEGAN AN AGGRESSIVE DSCNT USING SPOILERS. WE WERE THEN GIVEN AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 270 DEGS, WHICH I DID. WE RECEIVED A TA, BUT NEVER AN RA. WE THEN SAW THE TFC AND WERE OUT OF DANGER BY THAT TIME. THE TCASII SHOWED THAT WE PASSED ABOUT 5 MI AND 200 FT BELOW THE TFC. EWR DEP ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. FO RESPONDED THAT WE WERE GIVEN AND ACKNOWLEDGED A CLB TO 10000 FT. CTLR THEN RESPONDED, 'THAT WAS MY FAULT (THE CTLRS FAULT).' I CHKED WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO ONE WAS. I THEN MADE A PA EXPLAINING WHAT HAD HAPPENED. BECAUSE OF THE LARGE DSCNT RATE, I DSNDED THROUGH 6000-5200 FT BEFORE RECOVERING TO 6000 FT.

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.

B737-300 flight crew reacting to an ATC immediate descent and concurrent TCASII TA, descends below assigned altitude.