Air carrier X had less than standard separation from spc Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	167353
Time
Date	199101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : orf tower : orf
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Experimental
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	167353
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	167188
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Air carrier X was cleared for orf 3 departure runway 23 orf (runway heading 4000'). We were cleared for takeoff and just after rotation tower amended altitude to 2000' with no reason give. At about 500-700' I saw spc Y at 10 O'clock in a descending turn about 3/4 mi away. He crossed left to right on a northwest heading and we climbed through his altitude, estimated at 1000-1200', about 1/4 mi behind him. No proper coordination between orf tower and TRACON. Supplemental information from acn 167188: on takeoff runway 23 for orf 3 departure tower amended altitude to maintain 2000' vs 4000' with no explanation. This occurred just as the aircraft was rotated. Upon completion of the rotation, with an aircraft pitch attitude of 15 degrees, an spc Y was spotted ahead at about 1000' AGL crossing left to right as we climbed runway heading. Although no evasive action was required to maintain adequate sep, had the takeoff been initiated 10 seconds earlier, a near miss would have occurred. Corrective actions: I understand the orf air traffic area only goes to 1000' AGL. This event shows that closer coordination between radar operators, and the tower controller would prevent this situation. Also, ATC when changing altitudes on departure should advised of traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM SPC Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS CLRED FOR ORF 3 DEP RWY 23 ORF (RWY HDG 4000'). WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND JUST AFTER ROTATION TWR AMENDED ALT TO 2000' WITH NO REASON GIVE. AT ABOUT 500-700' I SAW SPC Y AT 10 O'CLOCK IN A DSNDING TURN ABOUT 3/4 MI AWAY. HE CROSSED LEFT TO RIGHT ON A NW HDG AND WE CLBED THROUGH HIS ALT, ESTIMATED AT 1000-1200', ABOUT 1/4 MI BEHIND HIM. NO PROPER COORD BTWN ORF TWR AND TRACON. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 167188: ON TKOF RWY 23 FOR ORF 3 DEP TWR AMENDED ALT TO MAINTAIN 2000' VS 4000' WITH NO EXPLANATION. THIS OCCURRED JUST AS THE ACFT WAS ROTATED. UPON COMPLETION OF THE ROTATION, WITH AN ACFT PITCH ATTITUDE OF 15 DEGS, AN SPC Y WAS SPOTTED AHEAD AT ABOUT 1000' AGL XING LEFT TO RIGHT AS WE CLBED RWY HDG. ALTHOUGH NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SEP, HAD THE TKOF BEEN INITIATED 10 SECS EARLIER, A NEAR MISS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I UNDERSTAND THE ORF ATA ONLY GOES TO 1000' AGL. THIS EVENT SHOWS THAT CLOSER COORD BTWN RADAR OPERATORS, AND THE TWR CTLR WOULD PREVENT THIS SITUATION. ALSO, ATC WHEN CHANGING ALTS ON DEP SHOULD ADVISED OF TFC.

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.