Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 4 at little rock (adams) airport. The takeoff clearance from the tower included the instruction to turn right to a heading of 085 degree after takeoff. The pilot flying continued climbing the aircraft on the 085 degree heading. Passing through approximately 2100-2200' MSL, the captain asked the tower controller if he wanted us to switch to departure control. The tower controller said yes, and added -- also, you have small aircraft traffic at 11 O'clock, 3000', has you in sight. We looked and immediately saw the traffic on what appeared to be a constant bearing, closing, at approximately 1 1/2-2 mi. The copilot immediately pulled the nose up to 18 degree pitch and applied climb power to get through 3000' as soon as possible. As he was doing this, the captain commented to the controller, 'I wish you would have told us about him sooner!' the controller responded that the small aircraft had us in sight. As we leveled at 4000' MSL (the assigned altitude), the captain observed the small aircraft pass directly underneath. When the controller was advised of this by the captain, his response was 'yes, sir, contact departure.' I feel it is unsafe to vector an aircraft to climb through the altitude of another aircraft in the same near vicinity, especially when only one of the aircraft is aware of the situation and therefore solely responsible for avoidance and especially when the responsible aircraft is much slower and less maneuverable!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER DEP, ACR CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO AN SMA.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 4 AT LITTLE ROCK (ADAMS) ARPT. THE TKOF CLRNC FROM THE TWR INCLUDED THE INSTRUCTION TO TURN RIGHT TO A HDG OF 085 DEG AFTER TKOF. THE PLT FLYING CONTINUED CLIMBING THE ACFT ON THE 085 DEG HDG. PASSING THROUGH APPROX 2100-2200' MSL, THE CAPT ASKED THE TWR CTLR IF HE WANTED US TO SWITCH TO DEP CTL. THE TWR CTLR SAID YES, AND ADDED -- ALSO, YOU HAVE SMA TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK, 3000', HAS YOU IN SIGHT. WE LOOKED AND IMMEDIATELY SAW THE TFC ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CONSTANT BEARING, CLOSING, AT APPROX 1 1/2-2 MI. THE COPLT IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE NOSE UP TO 18 DEG PITCH AND APPLIED CLIMB POWER TO GET THROUGH 3000' AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS HE WAS DOING THIS, THE CAPT COMMENTED TO THE CTLR, 'I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD US ABOUT HIM SOONER!' THE CTLR RESPONDED THAT THE SMA HAD US IN SIGHT. AS WE LEVELED AT 4000' MSL (THE ASSIGNED ALT), THE CAPT OBSERVED THE SMA PASS DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH. WHEN THE CTLR WAS ADVISED OF THIS BY THE CAPT, HIS RESPONSE WAS 'YES, SIR, CONTACT DEP.' I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO VECTOR AN ACFT TO CLIMB THROUGH THE ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT IN THE SAME NEAR VICINITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN ONLY ONE OF THE ACFT IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND THEREFORE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR AVOIDANCE AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE RESPONSIBLE ACFT IS MUCH SLOWER AND LESS MANEUVERABLE!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.