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Small transport traffic was pointed out to flight crew of medium large transport in climb but less than standard separation ensued.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 125238 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198910 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ont |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : ont tower : mem |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 815 |
| ASRS Report | 125238 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 500 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
After taking off from ontario airport, we flew the prado two departure, thermal transition. About 60 mi west of thermal, we were cleared direct to the VOR and cleared to climb to FL230. In the climbout, traffic was called by departure control, 12 O'clock and about 15 mi, a twin small transport, at 17,500'. As we climbed, I spotted the traffic high and on our nose. The controller asked if we had the traffic and I answered 'affirmative'. The departure controller was talking to the twin as well as to us so it was my assumption that the twin was being maneuvered out of our way. I believed this since we were given no other instructions to maintain visual separation. As we climbed through about 16,000', our closure rate was quite rapid as we approached the twin from the rear. He was flying straight and level so we made a right turn to avoid him. Our turn was not abrupt or violent but I would have initiated it much sooner if I hadn't mistakenly thought he was being maneuvered out of our way. Also, if I had been told to maintain visual separation, it would have been clearer to me that he was cruising at 17,500 and we were to avoid him as we climbed through his altitude. In any event, our turn would and should have been made sooner for more separation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMT TRAFFIC WAS POINTED OUT TO FLT CREW OF MLG IN CLIMB BUT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION ENSUED.
Narrative: AFTER TAKING OFF FROM ONTARIO ARPT, WE FLEW THE PRADO TWO DEP, THERMAL TRANSITION. ABOUT 60 MI W OF THERMAL, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO THE VOR AND CLRED TO CLIMB TO FL230. IN THE CLIMBOUT, TFC WAS CALLED BY DEP CTL, 12 O'CLOCK AND ABOUT 15 MI, A TWIN SMT, AT 17,500'. AS WE CLIMBED, I SPOTTED THE TFC HIGH AND ON OUR NOSE. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE TFC AND I ANSWERED 'AFFIRMATIVE'. THE DEP CTLR WAS TALKING TO THE TWIN AS WELL AS TO US SO IT WAS MY ASSUMPTION THAT THE TWIN WAS BEING MANEUVERED OUT OF OUR WAY. I BELIEVED THIS SINCE WE WERE GIVEN NO OTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. AS WE CLIMBED THROUGH ABOUT 16,000', OUR CLOSURE RATE WAS QUITE RAPID AS WE APCHED THE TWIN FROM THE REAR. HE WAS FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL SO WE MADE A RIGHT TURN TO AVOID HIM. OUR TURN WAS NOT ABRUPT OR VIOLENT BUT I WOULD HAVE INITIATED IT MUCH SOONER IF I HADN'T MISTAKENLY THOUGHT HE WAS BEING MANEUVERED OUT OF OUR WAY. ALSO, IF I HAD BEEN TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLEARER TO ME THAT HE WAS CRUISING AT 17,500 AND WE WERE TO AVOID HIM AS WE CLIMBED THROUGH HIS ALT. IN ANY EVENT, OUR TURN WOULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE SOONER FOR MORE SEPARATION.
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.