Narrative:

The problem started with lack of inter-controller communication. Every time we were handed off we were given different instructions. At one point we had a clearance for a TCA climb, then we were vectored out of the TCA. Had we continued our VFR climb en route to san luis obispo on heading 150 degrees, we would have avoided the 2 traffic conflicts that occurred. Constant vectoring and different instructions from each controller sector were distracting and unnecessary. Standardized VFR departure procedures should be developed to minimize vectoring during VFR operations. 1) aircraft departed VFR from oak. Oak tower assigned a 080 degree heading (turned us into VFR traffic). 2) handoff, tower to bay approach, copilot requested a VFR climb through sf TCA. Bay assigned heading 060 degrees. 3) bay assigned cleared to climb through TCA, 7500', resume own navigation. Pilot verified clearance with bay. 4) pilot turned to heading 145 degrees for san luis obispo. 5) handoff to west bay controller. He assigned, 'left heading 120 to clear TCA.' we complied. 6) medium large transport inbound to oak is advised traffic at 12 O'clock, 1 mi. 7) medium large transport misses us by less than 1/4 mi. 8) medium large transport asked controller if he had an altitude readout on his traffic. Controller said, 'data blocks for 5 aircraft overlapped,' and his display looked like 'alphabet soup.' 9) medium large transport comments, 'ya, well that was pretty close.' 10) flight continued west/O incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO AN MLG WHILE DEPARTING ARPT ON APCH FREQ.

Narrative: THE PROB STARTED WITH LACK OF INTER-CTLR COM. EVERY TIME WE WERE HANDED OFF WE WERE GIVEN DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONS. AT ONE POINT WE HAD A CLRNC FOR A TCA CLB, THEN WE WERE VECTORED OUT OF THE TCA. HAD WE CONTINUED OUR VFR CLB ENRTE TO SAN LUIS OBISPO ON HDG 150 DEGS, WE WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE 2 TFC CONFLICTS THAT OCCURRED. CONSTANT VECTORING AND DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONS FROM EACH CTLR SECTOR WERE DISTRACTING AND UNNECESSARY. STANDARDIZED VFR DEP PROCS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO MINIMIZE VECTORING DURING VFR OPS. 1) ACFT DEPARTED VFR FROM OAK. OAK TWR ASSIGNED A 080 DEG HDG (TURNED US INTO VFR TFC). 2) HDOF, TWR TO BAY APCH, COPLT REQUESTED A VFR CLB THROUGH SF TCA. BAY ASSIGNED HDG 060 DEGS. 3) BAY ASSIGNED CLRED TO CLB THROUGH TCA, 7500', RESUME OWN NAV. PLT VERIFIED CLRNC WITH BAY. 4) PLT TURNED TO HDG 145 DEGS FOR SAN LUIS OBISPO. 5) HDOF TO W BAY CTLR. HE ASSIGNED, 'LEFT HDG 120 TO CLR TCA.' WE COMPLIED. 6) MLG INBND TO OAK IS ADVISED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 1 MI. 7) MLG MISSES US BY LESS THAN 1/4 MI. 8) MLG ASKED CTLR IF HE HAD AN ALT READOUT ON HIS TFC. CTLR SAID, 'DATA BLOCKS FOR 5 ACFT OVERLAPPED,' AND HIS DISPLAY LOOKED LIKE 'ALPHABET SOUP.' 9) MLG COMMENTS, 'YA, WELL THAT WAS PRETTY CLOSE.' 10) FLT CONTINUED W/O INCIDENT.

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