Flight crew was issued descent clearance for the approach by brazilian ATC. Intermediate leveloff wa...

Attributes
ACN	769912
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbbs.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : tuca
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	769912
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I have had two events on two separate flts with the same separation issue landing in brazil in the last 35 days. The first event occurred on a flight to sbgl. I was just returning to the cockpit from my break (first officer) and we had been cleared to descend to FL120 from our cruise altitude via the suli arrival. The captain initiated the descent; and the controller came back and told us while descending through FL350 to 'stop the descent at FL350.' we were descending at approximately 2000 plus ft a minute (kept up and were trying to get back on profile) and descended to approximately 34600 ft and then climbed back to FL350. During the process the controller made another call that 'traffic at 6 O'clock 1 mile FL350.' the captain saw the traffic on the TCAS at about 1 mile; I did not. No TA or RA. This flight had almost the exact same situation. Returning from break and still at cruise; cleared to FL150 via the tuc 9 arrival. While descending through FL270 the controller told us to stop the descent at FL250; which we did with no problem. Although no traffic warning was given; again we both saw traffic at 6 O'clock and about a mile at FL240 on TCAS. No TA or RA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW WAS ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC FOR THE APCH BY BRAZILIAN ATC. INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF WAS THEN GIVEN TO AVOID DSNDING THROUGH ANOTHER ACFT'S ALT.

Narrative: I HAVE HAD TWO EVENTS ON TWO SEPARATE FLTS WITH THE SAME SEPARATION ISSUE LNDG IN BRAZIL IN THE LAST 35 DAYS. THE FIRST EVENT OCCURRED ON A FLT TO SBGL. I WAS JUST RETURNING TO THE COCKPIT FROM MY BREAK (FO) AND WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO DSND TO FL120 FROM OUR CRUISE ALT VIA THE SULI ARR. THE CAPT INITIATED THE DSCNT; AND THE CTLR CAME BACK AND TOLD US WHILE DSNDING THROUGH FL350 TO 'STOP THE DSCNT AT FL350.' WE WERE DSNDING AT APPROX 2000 PLUS FT A MINUTE (KEPT UP AND WERE TRYING TO GET BACK ON PROFILE) AND DSNDED TO APPROX 34600 FT AND THEN CLBED BACK TO FL350. DURING THE PROCESS THE CTLR MADE ANOTHER CALL THAT 'TFC AT 6 O'CLOCK 1 MILE FL350.' THE CAPT SAW THE TFC ON THE TCAS AT ABOUT 1 MILE; I DID NOT. NO TA OR RA. THIS FLT HAD ALMOST THE EXACT SAME SIT. RETURNING FROM BREAK AND STILL AT CRUISE; CLRED TO FL150 VIA THE TUC 9 ARR. WHILE DSNDING THROUGH FL270 THE CTLR TOLD US TO STOP THE DSCNT AT FL250; WHICH WE DID WITH NO PROB. ALTHOUGH NO TFC WARNING WAS GIVEN; AGAIN WE BOTH SAW TFC AT 6 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT A MILE AT FL240 ON TCAS. NO TA OR RA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Flight crew was issued descent clearance for the approach by brazilian ATC. Intermediate leveloff was then given to avoid descending through another aircraft's altitude.