Narrative:

I was the captain of flight abc from mke to dtw on jun/fri/91. Clearance delivery had given us the brew 3 departure and we taxied to runway 19R. Takeoff clearance was given and heading 170 degree was assigned by tower. Shortly after liftoff, I noticed an small aircraft in our departure path. The first officer was flying the aircraft, and I asked if could see the small aircraft. When he said he did not, I took over the airplane and leveled off, started a right turn to avoid a potential midair. Tower called on the radio to see what was wrong. I gave the airplane back to the first officer when we were clear and told tower about the small aircraft. Tower responded that he (the small transport) was to have been kept clear of our departure path by departure control. The flight proceeded without further incident. The first officer and so estimate we came within 1500-2000 ft of the small aircraft. Upon reaching my base, I called mke tower and spoke with assistant tower manager. He informed me that the small aircraft was under control of departure and the departure controller failed to keep the aircraft out of the departure corridor. The controller assumed that tower was monitoring the small aircraft's position, even though it was not tower's responsibility. The event was to be filed as an 'operational error' according to the assistant tower manager.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON DEP CTLR FAILED TO KEEP AN ENRTE ACFT OUT OF THE DEP CORRIDOR WHICH RESULTED IN LTSS.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT OF FLT ABC FROM MKE TO DTW ON JUN/FRI/91. CLRNC DELIVERY HAD GIVEN US THE BREW 3 DEP AND WE TAXIED TO RWY 19R. TKOF CLRNC WAS GIVEN AND HDG 170 DEG WAS ASSIGNED BY TWR. SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, I NOTICED AN SMA IN OUR DEP PATH. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT, AND I ASKED IF COULD SEE THE SMA. WHEN HE SAID HE DID NOT, I TOOK OVER THE AIRPLANE AND LEVELED OFF, STARTED A R TURN TO AVOID A POTENTIAL MIDAIR. TWR CALLED ON THE RADIO TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. I GAVE THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE FO WHEN WE WERE CLR AND TOLD TWR ABOUT THE SMA. TWR RESPONDED THAT HE (THE SMT) WAS TO HAVE BEEN KEPT CLR OF OUR DEP PATH BY DEP CTL. THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE FO AND SO ESTIMATE WE CAME WITHIN 1500-2000 FT OF THE SMA. UPON REACHING MY BASE, I CALLED MKE TWR AND SPOKE WITH ASSISTANT TWR MGR. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE SMA WAS UNDER CTL OF DEP AND THE DEP CTLR FAILED TO KEEP THE ACFT OUT OF THE DEP CORRIDOR. THE CTLR ASSUMED THAT TWR WAS MONITORING THE SMA'S POS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT TWR'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE EVENT WAS TO BE FILED AS AN 'OPERATIONAL ERROR' ACCORDING TO THE ASSISTANT TWR MGR.

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.