Close proximity air carrier-large transport in climb on airway and GA-small aircraft VFR cruise.

Attributes
ACN	109425
Time
Date	198904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sbj
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13300 msl bound upper : 13500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : san
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v3
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 13000
ASRS Report	109425
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On departure control (ny) climbing through 12500' departure control called traffic at 12 O'clock, 4 mi at 13500'. I could not see the traffic and immediately requested a vector. We were instructed to level off at 13000'. We were already passing 13000'. I then saw the small twin, and took the airplane from the first officer, pushed it over, leveling off at approximately 13300' and banked sharply to the left, as the light twin was slightly to the right of 12 O'clock. The twin banked to his left at the same time. I questioned the event to the controller and was given a frequency change. A white colored, light twin is almost impossible to see head on. We should have never been cleared to above 13000' until we passed the VFR traffic. An F/a questioned me as to what had happened because she felt the sharp turn and level off and saw the small airplane go by the right side of us. There were 140 people on our aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-LGT IN CLIMB ON AIRWAY AND GA-SMA VFR CRUISE.

Narrative: ON DEP CTL (NY) CLBING THROUGH 12500' DEP CTL CALLED TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 4 MI AT 13500'. I COULD NOT SEE THE TFC AND IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A VECTOR. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO LEVEL OFF AT 13000'. WE WERE ALREADY PASSING 13000'. I THEN SAW THE SMALL TWIN, AND TOOK THE AIRPLANE FROM THE F/O, PUSHED IT OVER, LEVELING OFF AT APPROX 13300' AND BANKED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT, AS THE LIGHT TWIN WAS SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF 12 O'CLOCK. THE TWIN BANKED TO HIS LEFT AT THE SAME TIME. I QUESTIONED THE EVENT TO THE CTLR AND WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. A WHITE COLORED, LIGHT TWIN IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE HEAD ON. WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CLRED TO ABOVE 13000' UNTIL WE PASSED THE VFR TFC. AN F/A QUESTIONED ME AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED BECAUSE SHE FELT THE SHARP TURN AND LEVEL OFF AND SAW THE SMALL AIRPLANE GO BY THE RIGHT SIDE OF US. THERE WERE 140 PEOPLE ON OUR ACFT.

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.