Narrative:

After an xy-9 pm (XZ08Z) takeoff from dca, we were flying the northwest visual noise abatement procedure. The time was approximately XY15-XY20Z, sky conditions reporting scattered clouds, visibility of 5-10 mi in haze, which, combined with evening low sun angle made frontal visibility to west difficult. Procedure called for maximum angle climb, which was FMC computed at 215 KTS. Climb above about 3000' was flown at +230 KTS to provide less pitch up for better visibility over aircraft nose. Pitch was still sufficiently high to make visual contact with the potomac river difficult through haze and low sun angle glare in the crew's eyes, so aircraft was flying outbnd on the dca 328 degree radial. The noise abatement procedure ends at the 10 DME point and, at about the same time, clearance was received to climb to 14000' (from 9000') and a left turn to 180 degree heading was issued. While the exact sequence of events is difficult to recall, it seems I initiated a slight drop in pitch to increase speed at 10000' and started a left turn very shortly thereafter. At that point the observer (an air carrier large transport captain) loudly indicated spotting traffic to our immediate right. While in the left bank I looked down over my left shoulder to see a single engine low wing aircraft (small aircraft) pass immediately below us traveling roughly northwest to southeast. The recollection of the first officer was that our altitude right then was about 11500' and we had a rate of climb of 2-3000 FPM. No ATC traffic advisory had been issued, and, after a moment of cockpit discussion I asked washington departure (or 1ST center controller after departure) if he indicated light aircraft traffic below us. He answered that he then noted 9 O'clock diverging VFR traffic at 10500'. It should also be noted the observer had had a similar near midair with VFR traffic in almost the exact spot which required evasive action. My overall impression is that the time of day, congested ATC environment (and frequency), combination visual/VOR radial high aircraft pitch angle noise abatement procedure into non controled airspace above the TCA results in an extremely dangerous situation particularly for evening (low sun angle) wbound departure from dca on VFR days.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC OCCURS AS SMA ON OVERFLT OF DCA TCA ENCOUNTERS A HIGH PERFORMANCE LGT ON CLIMB OUT ON TOP OF TCA.

Narrative: AFTER AN XY-9 PM (XZ08Z) TKOF FROM DCA, WE WERE FLYING THE NW VISUAL NOISE ABATEMENT PROC. THE TIME WAS APPROX XY15-XY20Z, SKY CONDITIONS REPORTING SCATTERED CLOUDS, VISIBILITY OF 5-10 MI IN HAZE, WHICH, COMBINED WITH EVENING LOW SUN ANGLE MADE FRONTAL VISIBILITY TO W DIFFICULT. PROC CALLED FOR MAX ANGLE CLIMB, WHICH WAS FMC COMPUTED AT 215 KTS. CLIMB ABOVE ABOUT 3000' WAS FLOWN AT +230 KTS TO PROVIDE LESS PITCH UP FOR BETTER VISIBILITY OVER ACFT NOSE. PITCH WAS STILL SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE POTOMAC RIVER DIFFICULT THROUGH HAZE AND LOW SUN ANGLE GLARE IN THE CREW'S EYES, SO ACFT WAS FLYING OUTBND ON THE DCA 328 DEG RADIAL. THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC ENDS AT THE 10 DME POINT AND, AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, CLRNC WAS RECEIVED TO CLIMB TO 14000' (FROM 9000') AND A LEFT TURN TO 180 DEG HDG WAS ISSUED. WHILE THE EXACT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IS DIFFICULT TO RECALL, IT SEEMS I INITIATED A SLIGHT DROP IN PITCH TO INCREASE SPEED AT 10000' AND STARTED A LEFT TURN VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AT THAT POINT THE OBSERVER (AN ACR LGT CAPT) LOUDLY INDICATED SPOTTING TFC TO OUR IMMEDIATE RIGHT. WHILE IN THE LEFT BANK I LOOKED DOWN OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER TO SEE A SINGLE ENGINE LOW WING ACFT (SMA) PASS IMMEDIATELY BELOW US TRAVELING ROUGHLY NW TO SE. THE RECOLLECTION OF THE F/O WAS THAT OUR ALT RIGHT THEN WAS ABOUT 11500' AND WE HAD A RATE OF CLIMB OF 2-3000 FPM. NO ATC TFC ADVISORY HAD BEEN ISSUED, AND, AFTER A MOMENT OF COCKPIT DISCUSSION I ASKED WASHINGTON DEP (OR 1ST CENTER CTLR AFTER DEP) IF HE INDICATED LIGHT ACFT TFC BELOW US. HE ANSWERED THAT HE THEN NOTED 9 O'CLOCK DIVERGING VFR TFC AT 10500'. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THE OBSERVER HAD HAD A SIMILAR NEAR MIDAIR WITH VFR TFC IN ALMOST THE EXACT SPOT WHICH REQUIRED EVASIVE ACTION. MY OVERALL IMPRESSION IS THAT THE TIME OF DAY, CONGESTED ATC ENVIRONMENT (AND FREQ), COMBINATION VISUAL/VOR RADIAL HIGH ACFT PITCH ANGLE NOISE ABATEMENT PROC INTO NON CTLED AIRSPACE ABOVE THE TCA RESULTS IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION PARTICULARLY FOR EVENING (LOW SUN ANGLE) WBOUND DEP FROM DCA ON VFR DAYS.

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.