While detouring weather and descending on an ATC vector an hs-125 flight crew received a TCAS TA for...

Attributes
ACN	957141
Time
Date	201106
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZAU.ARTCC
State Reference	IL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	HS 125 Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 87 Flight Crew Total 8900 Flight Crew Type 3200
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Miss Distance	Horizontal 35000 Vertical 0

Narrative:

We were descending into the indianapolis area; working our way through significant areas of convective activity. We were planning on shooting a gap in the weather ahead. We were handed off to a new chicago controller. Upon checking in; it was apparent that he was busy. He issued us a heading and then kept the mike keyed for a long pause as if he was pondering whether he had issued the correct instruction. He then proceeded to authoritatively issue a descent to FL270 and a left turn to 070. This took us away from our intended gap in the weather; so I questioned whether we could continue with our prior plan. He said no; and reaffirmed his instruction. We were in the turn and descending; when we received a TA for traffic at our present altitude in the descent that was approximately 6 NM to our 10 o'clock. It appeared that our clearance had turned and descended us into opposite direction traffic. I picked up the traffic visually; and instructed my first officer to increase the descent rate and stop the turn at about a heading of 090. Just then center issued rushed instructions to fly heading 100. We complied with the amended clearance; and continued safely to our destination. The controller never said a word about the incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: While detouring weather and descending on an ATC vector an HS-125 flight crew received a TCAS TA for opposite direction traffic.

Narrative: We were descending into the Indianapolis area; working our way through significant areas of convective activity. We were planning on shooting a gap in the weather ahead. We were handed off to a new Chicago Controller. Upon checking in; it was apparent that he was busy. He issued us a heading and then kept the mike keyed for a long pause as if he was pondering whether he had issued the correct instruction. He then proceeded to authoritatively issue a descent to FL270 and a left turn to 070. This took us away from our intended gap in the weather; so I questioned whether we could continue with our prior plan. He said no; and reaffirmed his instruction. We were in the turn and descending; when we received a TA for traffic at our present altitude in the descent that was approximately 6 NM to our 10 o'clock. It appeared that our clearance had turned and descended us into opposite direction traffic. I picked up the traffic visually; and instructed my First Officer to increase the descent rate and stop the turn at about a heading of 090. Just then Center issued rushed instructions to fly heading 100. We complied with the amended clearance; and continued safely to our destination. The Controller never said a word about the incident.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

While detouring weather and descending on an ATC vector an hs-125 flight crew received a TCAS TA for opposite direction traffic.