Air carrier widebody transport less than legal separation on climb out from dfw.

Attributes
ACN	104067
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	104067
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 2285
ASRS Report	103993
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After a north departure from dfw we were given a west turn and a climb to 17000'. We were working frequency 124.25. The controller advised, 'traffic 12 O'clock, inbound at 11000.' I responded, 'yes, we're watching him.' the captain and I both realized that, although not life threatening, the clearance was in error (to 17000'). He then expedited his climb through 11000'. The controller asked, 'what is your assigned altitude?' I responded, '17000'. We've been talking about that, no sweat.' he then gave us a futile right turn as the conflict passed behind us. There was no danger because of the VMC and the traffic call by the controller. See and avoid worked fine. I believe this was a simple error on the departure controller's part. In IMC this would have been totally different, especially had we accelerated between 10000 and 11000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB LESS THAN LEGAL SEPARATION ON CLIMB OUT FROM DFW.

Narrative: AFTER A N DEP FROM DFW WE WERE GIVEN A W TURN AND A CLB TO 17000'. WE WERE WORKING FREQ 124.25. THE CTLR ADVISED, 'TFC 12 O'CLOCK, INBND AT 11000.' I RESPONDED, 'YES, WE'RE WATCHING HIM.' THE CAPT AND I BOTH REALIZED THAT, ALTHOUGH NOT LIFE THREATENING, THE CLRNC WAS IN ERROR (TO 17000'). HE THEN EXPEDITED HIS CLB THROUGH 11000'. THE CTLR ASKED, 'WHAT IS YOUR ASSIGNED ALT?' I RESPONDED, '17000'. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT, NO SWEAT.' HE THEN GAVE US A FUTILE RIGHT TURN AS THE CONFLICT PASSED BEHIND US. THERE WAS NO DANGER BECAUSE OF THE VMC AND THE TFC CALL BY THE CTLR. SEE AND AVOID WORKED FINE. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A SIMPLE ERROR ON THE DEP CTLR'S PART. IN IMC THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY DIFFERENT, ESPECIALLY HAD WE ACCELERATED BTWN 10000 AND 11000'.

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.