Narrative:

On aug/sun/89, mco tower cleared us into position for takeoff on runway 36L. While in position the tower advised that all departures were being held due to WX and windshear alert. I was told to taxi clear of the runway. I taxied off and was held for 10-15 mins and then cleared for takeoff. Our clearance was runway heading to 8000. After takeoff I asked for a left turn to miss the buildups. We were given 2 or 3 turns to the left. We were still in the clouds and heavy turbulence. On a heading of 210 degree to 230 degree in the clouds, we broke out while I was leveling off at 8000. My first officer told me in a loud and erratic voice an aircraft was coming towards us. I asked where it was, the first officer didn't answer. The first officer grabbed the yoke and turned the aircraft abruptly left and started a steep descent. I took control of the aircraft and leveled off at approximately 7500 recovering from our unusual attitude that the first officer had put us in. I looked for the other aircraft and saw it go from my right side or 3 O'clock position to my 9 O'clock position. I judged the aircraft at least 1000' above us. I saw the entire aircraft in my overhead window. As I was climbing back to the assigned altitude, I overshot by about 500'. I then descended back to 8000'. At the time the controller stated that we had busted his altitude, the other aircraft had already gone by and I was recovering to normal flight position. If the first officer did see the aircraft at his 3 O'clock position and it was level with us, his action saved the lives of many people. If he overreacted by taking the aircraft, then he made a mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID CROSSING TRAFFIC.

Narrative: ON AUG/SUN/89, MCO TWR CLRED US INTO POSITION FOR TKOF ON RWY 36L. WHILE IN POSITION THE TWR ADVISED THAT ALL DEPS WERE BEING HELD DUE TO WX AND WINDSHEAR ALERT. I WAS TOLD TO TAXI CLEAR OF THE RWY. I TAXIED OFF AND WAS HELD FOR 10-15 MINS AND THEN CLRED FOR TKOF. OUR CLRNC WAS RWY HDG TO 8000. AFTER TKOF I ASKED FOR A LEFT TURN TO MISS THE BUILDUPS. WE WERE GIVEN 2 OR 3 TURNS TO THE LEFT. WE WERE STILL IN THE CLOUDS AND HEAVY TURBULENCE. ON A HDG OF 210 DEG TO 230 DEG IN THE CLOUDS, WE BROKE OUT WHILE I WAS LEVELING OFF AT 8000. MY F/O TOLD ME IN A LOUD AND ERRATIC VOICE AN ACFT WAS COMING TOWARDS US. I ASKED WHERE IT WAS, THE F/O DIDN'T ANSWER. THE F/O GRABBED THE YOKE AND TURNED THE ACFT ABRUPTLY LEFT AND STARTED A STEEP DSCNT. I TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 7500 RECOVERING FROM OUR UNUSUAL ATTITUDE THAT THE F/O HAD PUT US IN. I LOOKED FOR THE OTHER ACFT AND SAW IT GO FROM MY RIGHT SIDE OR 3 O'CLOCK POSITION TO MY 9 O'CLOCK POSITION. I JUDGED THE ACFT AT LEAST 1000' ABOVE US. I SAW THE ENTIRE ACFT IN MY OVERHEAD WINDOW. AS I WAS CLIMBING BACK TO THE ASSIGNED ALT, I OVERSHOT BY ABOUT 500'. I THEN DESCENDED BACK TO 8000'. AT THE TIME THE CTLR STATED THAT WE HAD BUSTED HIS ALT, THE OTHER ACFT HAD ALREADY GONE BY AND I WAS RECOVERING TO NORMAL FLT POSITION. IF THE F/O DID SEE THE ACFT AT HIS 3 O'CLOCK POSITION AND IT WAS LEVEL WITH US, HIS ACTION SAVED THE LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE. IF HE OVERREACTED BY TAKING THE ACFT, THEN HE MADE A MISTAKE.

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.