Narrative:

Air carrier X to runway 27 and flint tower advised of a possible delay for 'equipment problems'. After about 1 min we received the following clearance. 'Maintain runway heading, 3000 ft, runway 27, cleared for takeoff.' we departed, climbed to 3000 ft contacted departure control. The aircraft was very light weight for its type and climbed exceptionally well for its type. As a result we were level 3000 about the same time we contacted departure control. Shortly after contacting departure he cleared us to 8000 ft. The first officer began the climb. Within a few seconds the controller told us to 'maintain 3000, traffic 12 O'clock 3500 holding.' my first officer, who was flying, immediately applied forward pressure to the control yoke and reduced power. I also applied forward pressure to the yoke and reduced power. He then leveled back at 3000 ft. Due to the haze and reduced visibility neither of us had observed the traffic ahead of us until we began the noseover maneuver. We saw a single engine small aircraft at approximately 12 O'clock and closing. The maximum altitude we observed on our altimeters was 3200 ft. The time from being cleared to 8000 and returning to 3000 ft was probably 10-15 seconds. Contributing factors: visibility less than reported due to haze and sun. Controllers busy due to mix of airline and part 91 traffic and others practicing approachs. Unspecified 'equipment problems.' finally, it would appear the departure controller may have forgotten small aircraft Y holding over petli (fn). This is not to say my first officer and I could not have been more vigilant visually. But it is very difficult to see a white small aircraft against a light grey hazy backgnd. We have discussed this between ourselves and under the in-flight conditions which existed at the time we probably would not have seen the other aircraft sooner no matter how hard we tried.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD NMAC LTSS FROM SMA Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X TO RWY 27 AND FLINT TWR ADVISED OF A POSSIBLE DELAY FOR 'EQUIP PROBLEMS'. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLRNC. 'MAINTAIN RWY HDG, 3000 FT, RWY 27, CLRED FOR TKOF.' WE DEPARTED, CLBED TO 3000 FT CONTACTED DEP CTL. THE ACFT WAS VERY LIGHT WT FOR ITS TYPE AND CLBED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL FOR ITS TYPE. AS A RESULT WE WERE LEVEL 3000 ABOUT THE SAME TIME WE CONTACTED DEP CTL. SHORTLY AFTER CONTACTING DEP HE CLRED US TO 8000 FT. THE FO BEGAN THE CLB. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE CTLR TOLD US TO 'MAINTAIN 3000, TFC 12 O'CLOCK 3500 HOLDING.' MY FO, WHO WAS FLYING, IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FORWARD PRESSURE TO THE CTL YOKE AND REDUCED PWR. I ALSO APPLIED FORWARD PRESSURE TO THE YOKE AND REDUCED PWR. HE THEN LEVELED BACK AT 3000 FT. DUE TO THE HAZE AND REDUCED VISIBILITY NEITHER OF US HAD OBSERVED THE TFC AHEAD OF US UNTIL WE BEGAN THE NOSEOVER MANEUVER. WE SAW A SINGLE ENG SMA AT APPROX 12 O'CLOCK AND CLOSING. THE MAX ALT WE OBSERVED ON OUR ALTIMETERS WAS 3200 FT. THE TIME FROM BEING CLRED TO 8000 AND RETURNING TO 3000 FT WAS PROBABLY 10-15 SECONDS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: VISIBILITY LESS THAN RPTED DUE TO HAZE AND SUN. CTLRS BUSY DUE TO MIX OF AIRLINE AND PART 91 TFC AND OTHERS PRACTICING APCHS. UNSPECIFIED 'EQUIP PROBLEMS.' FINALLY, IT WOULD APPEAR THE DEP CTLR MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN SMA Y HOLDING OVER PETLI (FN). THIS IS NOT TO SAY MY FO AND I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE VIGILANT VISUALLY. BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE A WHITE SMA AGAINST A LIGHT GREY HAZY BACKGND. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS BTWN OURSELVES AND UNDER THE INFLT CONDITIONS WHICH EXISTED AT THE TIME WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN THE OTHER ACFT SOONER NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRIED.

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.