Flight crew of light transport in slow climb had near midair collision with small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	188196
Time
Date	199109
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4800 msl bound upper : 4800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zfw
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 9100 flight time type : 3400
ASRS Report	188196
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were tracking the dfw 090 degree radial at 4000 ft. Our speed was 200 KIAS since we were below the TCA. Regional departure keeps us below the TCA most of the time! Why? I thought TCA airspace was supposed to be to protect aircraft; not to keep'em below it! Why does this happen everyday? It is unsafe to keep airliners/aircraft below TCA's. Why does departure control do that? Once outside the lateral limits of the TCA at 21 NM, we sped up to 230 KIAS and were cleared to 5000 ft. I had my navigation strobe and both wing mounted landing lights on. I climbed shallow at 500 FPM. All of a sudden I saw an small aircraft out of the corner of my eye. We were so close, I only saw it for a 1-2 seconds. No time to do anything other than scream. Shortly thereafter, 2-5 min, we were IMC and I requested lower to 4000 ft. Also reported incident to center. I wanted to get out of the clouds! Because I was scared of not being able to see more traffic. Center could not give us lower, so I cancelled IFR and descended to 3000 ft with radar service. Center called in tyr on the ground to get information about the near hit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LTT IN SLOW CLB HAD NMAC WITH SMA.

Narrative: WE WERE TRACKING THE DFW 090 DEG RADIAL AT 4000 FT. OUR SPD WAS 200 KIAS SINCE WE WERE BELOW THE TCA. REGIONAL DEP KEEPS US BELOW THE TCA MOST OF THE TIME! WHY? I THOUGHT TCA AIRSPACE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TO PROTECT ACFT; NOT TO KEEP'EM BELOW IT! WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN EVERYDAY? IT IS UNSAFE TO KEEP AIRLINERS/ACFT BELOW TCA'S. WHY DOES DEP CTL DO THAT? ONCE OUTSIDE THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE TCA AT 21 NM, WE SPED UP TO 230 KIAS AND WERE CLRED TO 5000 FT. I HAD MY NAV STROBE AND BOTH WING MOUNTED LNDG LIGHTS ON. I CLBED SHALLOW AT 500 FPM. ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW AN SMA OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE. WE WERE SO CLOSE, I ONLY SAW IT FOR A 1-2 SECONDS. NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN SCREAM. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, 2-5 MIN, WE WERE IMC AND I REQUESTED LOWER TO 4000 FT. ALSO RPTED INCIDENT TO CENTER. I WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE CLOUDS! BECAUSE I WAS SCARED OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE MORE TFC. CENTER COULD NOT GIVE US LOWER, SO I CANCELLED IFR AND DSNDED TO 3000 FT WITH RADAR SVC. CENTER CALLED IN TYR ON THE GND TO GET INFO ABOUT THE NEAR HIT.

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.