Narrative:

I had filed an IFR flight plan, small transport, from arlington, tx, to bay minette, al (1r8). My clearance read: after takeoff turn to a heading of 190 degrees for radar vectors, climb to 2000 ft, contact departure on 120.5 and squawk XXXX. Takeoff was on runway 16. I established contact with departure and reported reaching 2000 ft. Departure confirmed radar contact and cleared me to turn left to 090 degrees, climb to and maintain 3000 ft. Just as I was establishing a 090 degree heading and passing through 2300 ft departure called out VFR traffic at 11 O'clock heading south. I made visual contact and realized that we were on a converging course. At that point I had to make a quick decision. A turn back to the right would still keep me on a converging course plus I would lose visual contact. An extremely tight turn to the left might put me behind but again I would lose visual contact. At that point it was obvious that I would pass above him, although closer than standard separation. I reported to departure that I had a visual and was above the target. Departure advised that we were both indicating 2200 ft. At that time I passed above and slightly ahead of the target while still keeping positive visual contact. The target appeared to be an small aircraft. I wish to restate that although close there was no doubt that we would clear. The situation passed and shortly after I was handed off without any comment from departure. Considerations: our controllers are doing a good job and I do not wish to find fault. Not knowing at what point departure had the VFR traffic on his screen makes an analysis difficult. If I had been cleared to climb to 3000 ft and then turn to 090 degrees I would have been well above. Or if the traffic had been called out prior to starting the turn I may have had an earlier visual and adjusted the rate of turn and climb accordingly. However, if the target appeared on his screen when he called it out, I'm not sure what could have been done to alter the incident. I do not know if the traffic was being worked by another controller. When on an IFR flight plan greater attention is devoted to the panel, but I do always keep alert for traffic when in VFR conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP SMT HAS NMAC WITH SMA ON INITIAL CLB WITHIN TCA.

Narrative: I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, SMT, FROM ARLINGTON, TX, TO BAY MINETTE, AL (1R8). MY CLRNC READ: AFTER TKOF TURN TO A HDG OF 190 DEGS FOR RADAR VECTORS, CLB TO 2000 FT, CONTACT DEP ON 120.5 AND SQUAWK XXXX. TKOF WAS ON RWY 16. I ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH DEP AND RPTED REACHING 2000 FT. DEP CONFIRMED RADAR CONTACT AND CLRED ME TO TURN L TO 090 DEGS, CLB TO AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT. JUST AS I WAS ESTABLISHING A 090 DEG HDG AND PASSING THROUGH 2300 FT DEP CALLED OUT VFR TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK HDG S. I MADE VISUAL CONTACT AND REALIZED THAT WE WERE ON A CONVERGING COURSE. AT THAT POINT I HAD TO MAKE A QUICK DECISION. A TURN BACK TO THE R WOULD STILL KEEP ME ON A CONVERGING COURSE PLUS I WOULD LOSE VISUAL CONTACT. AN EXTREMELY TIGHT TURN TO THE L MIGHT PUT ME BEHIND BUT AGAIN I WOULD LOSE VISUAL CONTACT. AT THAT POINT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT I WOULD PASS ABOVE HIM, ALTHOUGH CLOSER THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. I RPTED TO DEP THAT I HAD A VISUAL AND WAS ABOVE THE TARGET. DEP ADVISED THAT WE WERE BOTH INDICATING 2200 FT. AT THAT TIME I PASSED ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THE TARGET WHILE STILL KEEPING POSITIVE VISUAL CONTACT. THE TARGET APPEARED TO BE AN SMA. I WISH TO RESTATE THAT ALTHOUGH CLOSE THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT WE WOULD CLR. THE SIT PASSED AND SHORTLY AFTER I WAS HANDED OFF WITHOUT ANY COMMENT FROM DEP. CONSIDERATIONS: OUR CTLRS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB AND I DO NOT WISH TO FIND FAULT. NOT KNOWING AT WHAT POINT DEP HAD THE VFR TFC ON HIS SCREEN MAKES AN ANALYSIS DIFFICULT. IF I HAD BEEN CLRED TO CLB TO 3000 FT AND THEN TURN TO 090 DEGS I WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL ABOVE. OR IF THE TFC HAD BEEN CALLED OUT PRIOR TO STARTING THE TURN I MAY HAVE HAD AN EARLIER VISUAL AND ADJUSTED THE RATE OF TURN AND CLB ACCORDINGLY. HOWEVER, IF THE TARGET APPEARED ON HIS SCREEN WHEN HE CALLED IT OUT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO ALTER THE INCIDENT. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE TFC WAS BEING WORKED BY ANOTHER CTLR. WHEN ON AN IFR FLT PLAN GREATER ATTN IS DEVOTED TO THE PANEL, BUT I DO ALWAYS KEEP ALERT FOR TFC WHEN IN VFR CONDITIONS.

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.