Air carrier hears small aircraft pilot complain of climb too close, even though visual.

Attributes
ACN	202267
Time
Date	199202
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : iah
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	202267
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The captain was flying a large transport level at 4000 ft. Departure control pointed out a single engine aircraft at 12 O'clock and 5000 ft. Call traffic in sight. When we visually saw the small aircraft departure control told us to climb and keep the traffic in sight. We waited until the small aircraft was on top of us (that is we passed underneath) and then applied climb power and climbed to 15000 ft. When we popped up in front of the small aircraft, he complained to ATC about being too close. ATC asked him if he saw us and he acknowledged but was not in a happy tone of voice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HEARS SMA PLT COMPLAIN OF CLB TOO CLOSE, EVEN THOUGH VISUAL.

Narrative: THE CAPT WAS FLYING A LGT LEVEL AT 4000 FT. DEP CTL POINTED OUT A SINGLE ENG ACFT AT 12 O'CLOCK AND 5000 FT. CALL TFC IN SIGHT. WHEN WE VISUALLY SAW THE SMA DEP CTL TOLD US TO CLB AND KEEP THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE WAITED UNTIL THE SMA WAS ON TOP OF US (THAT IS WE PASSED UNDERNEATH) AND THEN APPLIED CLB PWR AND CLBED TO 15000 FT. WHEN WE POPPED UP IN FRONT OF THE SMA, HE COMPLAINED TO ATC ABOUT BEING TOO CLOSE. ATC ASKED HIM IF HE SAW US AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED BUT WAS NOT IN A HAPPY TONE OF VOICE.

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.