Narrative:

While flying, as the copilot, en route to shenyang (zytx) I was on the #2 radio listening to the ATIS. The captain was on the #1 radio and received instructions to descend from 5700 meters to 700 meters. I overhead the captain respond to ATC a few times. Once back on the #1 radio, the captain told me we were to contact shenyang control tower at 118.1 and descend to 700 meters. We both thought it was a bit early to begin our descent, however, 700 meters was the final approach fix altitude. I checked in with the tower indicating we were descending to 700 meters and immediately was told to turn right to 180 degree heading and maintain 5700 meters. We complied, and saw traffic on our TCASII, 700 ft below us. The captain turned off the autoplt and immediately climbed back to 5700 meters. We received no RA, only amber for just a second. After passing the traffic, we were contacted by the tower and told to begin our descent. After arriving at our hotel we were asked to come back to the airport to meet with ATC. I feel the reception over the radios was very poor, their english was very hard to understand, and we did learn that the air traffic controller who instructed us to descend to 700 meters and contact tower was new to the job of ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD87 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED CONFLICT AT 5700 METERS WHILE DSNDING INTO ZYTX BECAUSE OF ATC ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING, AS THE COPLT, ENRTE TO SHENYANG (ZYTX) I WAS ON THE #2 RADIO LISTENING TO THE ATIS. THE CAPT WAS ON THE #1 RADIO AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND FROM 5700 METERS TO 700 METERS. I OVERHEAD THE CAPT RESPOND TO ATC A FEW TIMES. ONCE BACK ON THE #1 RADIO, THE CAPT TOLD ME WE WERE TO CONTACT SHENYANG CTL TWR AT 118.1 AND DSND TO 700 METERS. WE BOTH THOUGHT IT WAS A BIT EARLY TO BEGIN OUR DSCNT, HOWEVER, 700 METERS WAS THE FINAL APCH FIX ALT. I CHKED IN WITH THE TWR INDICATING WE WERE DSNDING TO 700 METERS AND IMMEDIATELY WAS TOLD TO TURN R TO 180 DEG HDG AND MAINTAIN 5700 METERS. WE COMPLIED, AND SAW TFC ON OUR TCASII, 700 FT BELOW US. THE CAPT TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND IMMEDIATELY CLBED BACK TO 5700 METERS. WE RECEIVED NO RA, ONLY AMBER FOR JUST A SECOND. AFTER PASSING THE TFC, WE WERE CONTACTED BY THE TWR AND TOLD TO BEGIN OUR DSCNT. AFTER ARRIVING AT OUR HOTEL WE WERE ASKED TO COME BACK TO THE ARPT TO MEET WITH ATC. I FEEL THE RECEPTION OVER THE RADIOS WAS VERY POOR, THEIR ENGLISH WAS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND, AND WE DID LEARN THAT THE AIR TFC CTLR WHO INSTRUCTED US TO DSND TO 700 METERS AND CONTACT TWR WAS NEW TO THE JOB OF ATC.

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.