<< >> NASA ASRS Report 124335, October 1989

Medium large transport on climb out advised of traffic descending. Continued climb using shallow turn to avoid conflict.

Attributes
ACN	124335
Time
Date	198910
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iah
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	124335
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2400 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In a climb departing hou for dfw cleared to 5000' and advised of traffic ahead descending to 6000'. We reported traffic in sight to houston departure and we were then cleared to 15,000 to avoid traffic. We were on an assigned heading of 340 degree at the time. Neither turns to left or right, nor holding heading provided any relative bearing information and almost immediately we realized we would come very close to the other aircraft. In the few moments remaining we devoted full attention to readying for whatever last second evasive maneuver might be required. Only a shallow banked turn was necessary. It is apparent now that even in good visibility conditions, certain lighting conditions can make visual separation of adequate dimensions nearly impossible. I would suggest that in hours of darkness, clrncs of this type should be neither issued nor accepted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ON CLIMB OUT ADVISED OF TRAFFIC DESCENDING. CONTINUED CLIMB USING SHALLOW TURN TO AVOID CONFLICT.

Narrative: IN A CLIMB DEPARTING HOU FOR DFW CLRED TO 5000' AND ADVISED OF TFC AHEAD DESCENDING TO 6000'. WE REPORTED TFC IN SIGHT TO HOUSTON DEP AND WE WERE THEN CLRED TO 15,000 TO AVOID TFC. WE WERE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 340 DEG AT THE TIME. NEITHER TURNS TO LEFT OR RIGHT, NOR HOLDING HDG PROVIDED ANY RELATIVE BEARING INFO AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WE REALIZED WE WOULD COME VERY CLOSE TO THE OTHER ACFT. IN THE FEW MOMENTS REMAINING WE DEVOTED FULL ATTN TO READYING FOR WHATEVER LAST SECOND EVASIVE MANEUVER MIGHT BE REQUIRED. ONLY A SHALLOW BANKED TURN WAS NECESSARY. IT IS APPARENT NOW THAT EVEN IN GOOD VISIBILITY CONDITIONS, CERTAIN LIGHTING CONDITIONS CAN MAKE VISUAL SEPARATION OF ADEQUATE DIMENSIONS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN HOURS OF DARKNESS, CLRNCS OF THIS TYPE SHOULD BE NEITHER ISSUED NOR ACCEPTED.

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.