A conflict occurred when an air carrier takes a wrong clearance for a heading change. An expedited descent is issued to resolve the conflict which is backed up by validating RA.

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Attributes
ACN	632050
Time
Date	200409
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : lit.vortac
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	632050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	632055
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	vertical : 1800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cruising approximately 45 mi east of lit at 35000 ft with seat belt sign on. ZME issued a 20 degree right turn for traffic putting us on a heading of 280 degrees. Another aircraft using an air carrier Y call sign picked up and read back a wrong clearance to proceed direct mem. As he turned into us at the same altitude, ZME asked us to immediately descend to 31000 ft. As I turned off the autoplt and began descent, center asked us to expedite. After initiating descent, we immediately received a descend RA for a 2000 FPM descent. I continued descent in excess of the TCASII instruction and leveled at 31000 ft. The TCASII event expired and we witnessed the traffic pass directly above us right to left with approximately 2000 ft of separation according to our TCASII. I did not exceed a descent rate in excess of 6000 FPM. The stress in the controller's voice made it evident to us that a fast descent was imperative. To my knowledge, no passenger or crew were injured or even aware of the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CONFLICT OCCURRED WHEN AN ACR TAKES A WRONG CLRNC FOR A HDG CHANGE. AN EXPEDITED DSCNT IS ISSUED TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT WHICH IS BACKED UP BY VALIDATING RA.

Narrative: CRUISING APPROX 45 MI E OF LIT AT 35000 FT WITH SEAT BELT SIGN ON. ZME ISSUED A 20 DEG R TURN FOR TFC PUTTING US ON A HDG OF 280 DEGS. ANOTHER ACFT USING AN ACR Y CALL SIGN PICKED UP AND READ BACK A WRONG CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT MEM. AS HE TURNED INTO US AT THE SAME ALT, ZME ASKED US TO IMMEDIATELY DSND TO 31000 FT. AS I TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND BEGAN DSCNT, CTR ASKED US TO EXPEDITE. AFTER INITIATING DSCNT, WE IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A DSND RA FOR A 2000 FPM DSCNT. I CONTINUED DSCNT IN EXCESS OF THE TCASII INSTRUCTION AND LEVELED AT 31000 FT. THE TCASII EVENT EXPIRED AND WE WITNESSED THE TFC PASS DIRECTLY ABOVE US R TO L WITH APPROX 2000 FT OF SEPARATION ACCORDING TO OUR TCASII. I DID NOT EXCEED A DSCNT RATE IN EXCESS OF 6000 FPM. THE STRESS IN THE CTLR'S VOICE MADE IT EVIDENT TO US THAT A FAST DSCNT WAS IMPERATIVE. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO PAX OR CREW WERE INJURED OR EVEN AWARE OF THE INCIDENT.

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.