Close proximity air carrier large transport unknown traffic near bwi.

Attributes
ACN	107001
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	107001
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On departure climb, departure control pointed out traffic at our altitude (10000') position 1:00 and 5 miles. We acknowledged an aircraft in that position and were cleared to maintain visual contact and continue climb. Shortly thereafter we saw traffic approaching from approximately 10:00. The aircraft turned to avoid hitting us. We asked departure control about this aircraft and he stated this was the traffic he had previously called and we had sighted. We were then switched to another frequency. All three crew members feel sure the traffic was pointed out incorrectly 1:00 (right side) instead of 11:00 (left side). There were several aircraft in our vicinity and we acknowledged one in the approximately position he called, however it was the wrong traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR LGT UNKNOWN TRAFFIC NEAR BWI.

Narrative: ON DEP CLB, DEP CTL POINTED OUT TFC AT OUR ALT (10000') POS 1:00 AND 5 MILES. WE ACKNOWLEDGED AN ACFT IN THAT POS AND WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT AND CONTINUE CLB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE SAW TFC APCHING FROM APPROX 10:00. THE ACFT TURNED TO AVOID HITTING US. WE ASKED DEP CTL ABOUT THIS ACFT AND HE STATED THIS WAS THE TFC HE HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED AND WE HAD SIGHTED. WE WERE THEN SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FREQ. ALL THREE CREW MEMBERS FEEL SURE THE TFC WAS POINTED OUT INCORRECTLY 1:00 (RIGHT SIDE) INSTEAD OF 11:00 (LEFT SIDE). THERE WERE SEVERAL ACFT IN OUR VICINITY AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED ONE IN THE APPROX POS HE CALLED, HOWEVER IT WAS THE WRONG TFC.

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.