Narrative:

Flight departed bwi runway 28. We were instructed to turn left to a heading of 220 degrees at 3 DME after departure. After our initial turn we were then instructed to turn further left to 150 degrees and climb to either 10000-12000'. It was very windy that day and the cockpit was very busy. We were climbing at our best turbulent air penetration speed which resulted in a steep climb altitude climbing out of 6300'. I looked up and saw an aircraft no more than 200-300' in front of my windshield, in level flight, at approximately 6500', heading in the opp direction. No evasive maneuver was initiated because there was no time. I questioned departure about this traffic and he said he was not picking up any target. I assured him he was there, his reply was that, over the VOR site they could not pick up traffic directly above the radar antenna. He said he would show up in a few mi. He then reported that there was a VFR target at 6500'. There is no doubt in my mind that we would have had a midair collision if I arrived in that airspace 1 second earlier. My question is why did he not see the traffic when he came into the TCA? If there is a blind spot over the antenna site, then why are we sent in that direction? As for see and avoid, well, I was busy hand flying due to the moderate turbulence, and the copilot was setting the altitude alert and tuning radios. This is a very busy time, although we are constantly watching for traffic. I think the only way this could have been avoided is if the controller saw him on radar the time he entered the TCA. This is the absolute closest I have come to hitting another aircraft, and I don't want to have it happen again. If departure is at fault, let's straighten it out. Supplemental information from acn 161123: we question departure control on traffic. He said he had no knowledge of traffic on his screen. No evasive action required or taken. Captain and I saw traffic at about same time and so did our jump seat rider.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMT OVER BWI VOR.

Narrative: FLT DEPARTED BWI RWY 28. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 220 DEGS AT 3 DME AFTER DEP. AFTER OUR INITIAL TURN WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO TURN FURTHER LEFT TO 150 DEGS AND CLB TO EITHER 10000-12000'. IT WAS VERY WINDY THAT DAY AND THE COCKPIT WAS VERY BUSY. WE WERE CLBING AT OUR BEST TURBULENT AIR PENETRATION SPD WHICH RESULTED IN A STEEP CLB ALT CLBING OUT OF 6300'. I LOOKED UP AND SAW AN ACFT NO MORE THAN 200-300' IN FRONT OF MY WINDSHIELD, IN LEVEL FLT, AT APPROX 6500', HDG IN THE OPP DIRECTION. NO EVASIVE MANEUVER WAS INITIATED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TIME. I QUESTIONED DEP ABOUT THIS TFC AND HE SAID HE WAS NOT PICKING UP ANY TARGET. I ASSURED HIM HE WAS THERE, HIS REPLY WAS THAT, OVER THE VOR SITE THEY COULD NOT PICK UP TFC DIRECTLY ABOVE THE RADAR ANTENNA. HE SAID HE WOULD SHOW UP IN A FEW MI. HE THEN RPTED THAT THERE WAS A VFR TARGET AT 6500'. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD A MIDAIR COLLISION IF I ARRIVED IN THAT AIRSPACE 1 SEC EARLIER. MY QUESTION IS WHY DID HE NOT SEE THE TFC WHEN HE CAME INTO THE TCA? IF THERE IS A BLIND SPOT OVER THE ANTENNA SITE, THEN WHY ARE WE SENT IN THAT DIRECTION? AS FOR SEE AND AVOID, WELL, I WAS BUSY HAND FLYING DUE TO THE MODERATE TURB, AND THE COPLT WAS SETTING THE ALT ALERT AND TUNING RADIOS. THIS IS A VERY BUSY TIME, ALTHOUGH WE ARE CONSTANTLY WATCHING FOR TFC. I THINK THE ONLY WAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IS IF THE CTLR SAW HIM ON RADAR THE TIME HE ENTERED THE TCA. THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE CLOSEST I HAVE COME TO HITTING ANOTHER ACFT, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. IF DEP IS AT FAULT, LET'S STRAIGHTEN IT OUT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 161123: WE QUESTION DEP CTL ON TFC. HE SAID HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF TFC ON HIS SCREEN. NO EVASIVE ACTION REQUIRED OR TAKEN. CAPT AND I SAW TFC AT ABOUT SAME TIME AND SO DID OUR JUMP SEAT RIDER.

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.