Traffic alert caused air carrier X to take evasive action from aircraft Y.

Attributes
ACN	154175
Time
Date	199008
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : san
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	154175
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	153405
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff from san the tower called and stated that had a collision alert. I requested the location of the traffic. The tower replied with 1 O'clock/1600'. I told the copilot to level of and this was accomplished by 1300'. Then the tower stated that we were clear of the traffic aircraft Y and we continued to climb. We were in the clouds and never saw the traffic. There is no sure way to prevent the above situation from occurring again. The only thing which can be done is to provide safeguards which will alert disaster when this happens again. My suggestions are the following. Xponders on all aircraft. T'cas. Increase size of TCA. Increase requirement for obtaining pilot's license. Supplemental information from acn 153405. On takeoff from san at 1200' AGL tower issues 'traffic alert' PNF asked location. We were told aircraft Y 2 O'clock southbound at 2000'. Still in IMC conditions we leveled off at 1300' until advised by tower we were clear of traffic. We never saw aircraft Y.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAFFIC ALERT CAUSED ACR X TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION FROM ACFT Y.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF FROM SAN THE TWR CALLED AND STATED THAT HAD A COLLISION ALERT. I REQUESTED THE LOCATION OF THE TFC. THE TWR REPLIED WITH 1 O'CLOCK/1600'. I TOLD THE COPLT TO LEVEL OF AND THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY 1300'. THEN THE TWR STATED THAT WE WERE CLR OF THE TFC ACFT Y AND WE CONTINUED TO CLB. WE WERE IN THE CLOUDS AND NEVER SAW THE TFC. THERE IS NO SURE WAY TO PREVENT THE ABOVE SITUATION FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. THE ONLY THING WHICH CAN BE DONE IS TO PROVIDE SAFEGUARDS WHICH WILL ALERT DISASTER WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. MY SUGGESTIONS ARE THE FOLLOWING. XPONDERS ON ALL ACFT. T'CAS. INCREASE SIZE OF TCA. INCREASE REQUIREMENT FOR OBTAINING PLT'S LICENSE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 153405. ON TKOF FROM SAN AT 1200' AGL TWR ISSUES 'TFC ALERT' PNF ASKED LOCATION. WE WERE TOLD ACFT Y 2 O'CLOCK SBND AT 2000'. STILL IN IMC CONDITIONS WE LEVELED OFF AT 1300' UNTIL ADVISED BY TWR WE WERE CLR OF TFC. WE NEVER SAW ACFT Y.

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.