FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.6.0_11"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_11-b03)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 11.0-b16, mixed mode, sharing)

javac 1.6.0_11


ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The compiler allows non-reifiable array type when invoking variable arity generic methods. For example, an invocation of a method "<T> T[] error(T...a)" with arguments (java.lang.Integer, java.lang.Long) makes the type parameter "T" infer to a non-reifiable type (seems Number & Comparable<...>).
Then a result of the expression "error(1, 2L)" is assignable to "Comparable<?>[]" with no warnings, although the compiler evaluates the expression as "error(new Number[] {1, 2L})". As a result, the assignment from this expression to a variable of "Comparable<?>[]" occurs ClassCastException (Number[] -> Comparable[]).

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile and run below "Source code for an executable test case"

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Show Errors/Warnings when the compiler try to create a non-reifiable array type.
ACTUAL -
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.ClassCastException: [Ljava.lang.Number; can
not be cast to [Ljava.lang.Comparable;
        at CceOnAssign.main(CceOnAssign.java:6)

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
public class CceOnAssign {
    
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Integer a = 1;
        Long b = 2L;
        Comparable<?>[] result = error(a, b);
    }
    
    static <T> T[] error(T...a) {
        return a;
    }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------