B757 flight crew has a TCAS RA after being issued a descent clearance from ATC.

Attributes
ACN	698801
Time
Date	200605
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zme.artcc
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 31700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 10034 flight time type : 2869
ASRS Report	698801
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 513
ASRS Report	698802
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Crossed arg at FL320; turned direct to fam. It was VFR and we observed an aircraft directly above us at FL330 apparently on the same track. Shortly after our turn; ATC directed us to descend to FL310. Altitude was set in altitude window and entered into FMS and we began our descent. Aircraft then directed a turn to a heading of 300 degrees. As we began our turn we received a TA quickly followed by an RA commanding a 2000-2500 FPM climb. I disconnected the autoplt; rolled wings level and pulled the nose up. As I did this; first officer notified ATC that we had received a TCAS alert and were climbing in response. ATC controller responded 'don't climb traffic above you.' I began to level off and TCAS alerted again; this time commanding a 2000-2500 FPM descent. I pushed the nose over to comply and after vsi needle reached green band; I looked up and observed traffic passing from right to left in my windscreen. The vsi/TCAS screen indicated he passed 300 ft above and approximately 1/2 - 1 mi ahead. TCAS reported clear of conflict and we leveled at FL310. Supplemental information from acn 698802: another aircraft on the frequency stated that he was responding to an RA. The TCAS issued a 'clear of conflict' message and the captain returned to our assigned altitude and heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW HAS A TCAS RA AFTER BEING ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC FROM ATC.

Narrative: CROSSED ARG AT FL320; TURNED DIRECT TO FAM. IT WAS VFR AND WE OBSERVED AN ACFT DIRECTLY ABOVE US AT FL330 APPARENTLY ON THE SAME TRACK. SHORTLY AFTER OUR TURN; ATC DIRECTED US TO DSND TO FL310. ALT WAS SET IN ALT WINDOW AND ENTERED INTO FMS AND WE BEGAN OUR DSCNT. ACFT THEN DIRECTED A TURN TO A HDG OF 300 DEGS. AS WE BEGAN OUR TURN WE RECEIVED A TA QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY AN RA COMMANDING A 2000-2500 FPM CLB. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT; ROLLED WINGS LEVEL AND PULLED THE NOSE UP. AS I DID THIS; FO NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE HAD RECEIVED A TCAS ALERT AND WERE CLBING IN RESPONSE. ATC CTLR RESPONDED 'DON'T CLB TFC ABOVE YOU.' I BEGAN TO LEVEL OFF AND TCAS ALERTED AGAIN; THIS TIME COMMANDING A 2000-2500 FPM DSCNT. I PUSHED THE NOSE OVER TO COMPLY AND AFTER VSI NEEDLE REACHED GREEN BAND; I LOOKED UP AND OBSERVED TFC PASSING FROM R TO L IN MY WINDSCREEN. THE VSI/TCAS SCREEN INDICATED HE PASSED 300 FT ABOVE AND APPROX 1/2 - 1 MI AHEAD. TCAS RPTED CLR OF CONFLICT AND WE LEVELED AT FL310. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 698802: ANOTHER ACFT ON THE FREQ STATED THAT HE WAS RESPONDING TO AN RA. THE TCAS ISSUED A 'CLR OF CONFLICT' MESSAGE AND THE CAPT RETURNED TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.