Air carrier sights traffic, notifies ATC. Controller amends clearance to avoid conflict. Less than s...

Attributes
ACN	176610
Time
Date	199104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl tower : isp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	176610
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On departure from atl, below 10000' we received climb clearance to 14000' from departure control. When passing 11000' (at a slow rate due to FMS acceleration at 10000') I pointed out 12 to 10 O'clock traffic to departure control. Traffic appeared to be at 12000' (normal arrival traffic altitude) when we told departure control about the traffic (which we avoided visly), ATC told us to maintain 10000'. I informed him that we were already at 11000' on our climb to 14000'. ATC said to maintain 11000'. Traffic passed to our 3 O'clock and we were then revectored and cleared to continue climb to 14000'. Although the whole air carrier fleet (almost) is TCAS equipped, we did not have it operating on this ship (was not wired yet). TCAS would have really helped in IMC. We had a check airman on the jump seat that confirmed our clearance to 14000' initially. This traffic conflict would have gone unnoticed by ATC had we not reported the conflict to ATC. TCAS will greatly enhance cockpit visibility clearing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SIGHTS TRAFFIC, NOTIFIES ATC. CTLR AMENDS CLRNC TO AVOID CONFLICT. LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM ATL, BELOW 10000' WE RECEIVED CLB CLRNC TO 14000' FROM DEP CTL. WHEN PASSING 11000' (AT A SLOW RATE DUE TO FMS ACCELERATION AT 10000') I POINTED OUT 12 TO 10 O'CLOCK TFC TO DEP CTL. TFC APPEARED TO BE AT 12000' (NORMAL ARR TFC ALT) WHEN WE TOLD DEP CTL ABOUT THE TFC (WHICH WE AVOIDED VISLY), ATC TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 10000'. I INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE ALREADY AT 11000' ON OUR CLB TO 14000'. ATC SAID TO MAINTAIN 11000'. TFC PASSED TO OUR 3 O'CLOCK AND WE WERE THEN REVECTORED AND CLRED TO CONTINUE CLB TO 14000'. ALTHOUGH THE WHOLE ACR FLEET (ALMOST) IS TCAS EQUIPPED, WE DID NOT HAVE IT OPERATING ON THIS SHIP (WAS NOT WIRED YET). TCAS WOULD HAVE REALLY HELPED IN IMC. WE HAD A CHK AIRMAN ON THE JUMP SEAT THAT CONFIRMED OUR CLRNC TO 14000' INITIALLY. THIS TFC CONFLICT WOULD HAVE GONE UNNOTICED BY ATC HAD WE NOT RPTED THE CONFLICT TO ATC. TCAS WILL GREATLY ENHANCE COCKPIT VIS CLRING.

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.

Air carrier sights traffic, notifies ATC. Controller amends clearance to avoid conflict. Less than standard separation.