Narrative:

Air carrier X took off from oak runway 29 (runway heading) with a 2000 ft restr. We switched to departure control as we approached 2000 ft and the controller said to delete the 2000 ft restr and climb to 10000 ft. We were climbing at 4000 FPM. The visibility was unlimited as the TCASII called out 'traffic' at 12 O'clock (TCASII was on 5 mi range). The controller calmly said to 'stop the climb at 4000 ft and turn left heading to 230 degrees.' as he said this, the TCASII was screaming 'descend.' the traffic turned out to be an air carrier Y md-80 coming at us level at 5000 ft and 250 KTS. With the first 'traffic' call on TCASII, it appeared that departure control's plan was to climb us over the traffic. The closure rate (500 KTS) however, made this impossible. I chopped the power and reversed climb at 4500 ft. It was obvious I had to turn right to avoid the jet coming at me with all his lights on at a tremendous closure rate. He was also turning west away from me. We missed by about 3/4 mi laterally. However, if I had followed the controller's instruction to turn to 230 degrees we would have turned right into him. I talked to the supervisor after landing. I explained that my biggest concern was the lack of urgency in the controller's voice. It happened so quickly that I think the controller was almost deadly quiet while trying to assess his situation. His instructions were too little and much too late. If it had been night or IMC I would have turned left into another jet with disastrous results. The TCASII worked well. This is my first time (20 yrs) to confront a jet head-on at a high speed. Reaction times were amazingly short.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM ACR Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: ACR X TOOK OFF FROM OAK RWY 29 (RWY HDG) WITH A 2000 FT RESTR. WE SWITCHED TO DEP CTL AS WE APCHED 2000 FT AND THE CTLR SAID TO DELETE THE 2000 FT RESTR AND CLB TO 10000 FT. WE WERE CLBING AT 4000 FPM. THE VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED AS THE TCASII CALLED OUT 'TFC' AT 12 O'CLOCK (TCASII WAS ON 5 MI RANGE). THE CTLR CALMLY SAID TO 'STOP THE CLB AT 4000 FT AND TURN L HDG TO 230 DEGS.' AS HE SAID THIS, THE TCASII WAS SCREAMING 'DSND.' THE TFC TURNED OUT TO BE AN ACR Y MD-80 COMING AT US LEVEL AT 5000 FT AND 250 KTS. WITH THE FIRST 'TFC' CALL ON TCASII, IT APPEARED THAT DEP CTL'S PLAN WAS TO CLB US OVER THE TFC. THE CLOSURE RATE (500 KTS) HOWEVER, MADE THIS IMPOSSIBLE. I CHOPPED THE PWR AND REVERSED CLB AT 4500 FT. IT WAS OBVIOUS I HAD TO TURN R TO AVOID THE JET COMING AT ME WITH ALL HIS LIGHTS ON AT A TREMENDOUS CLOSURE RATE. HE WAS ALSO TURNING W AWAY FROM ME. WE MISSED BY ABOUT 3/4 MI LATERALLY. HOWEVER, IF I HAD FOLLOWED THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTION TO TURN TO 230 DEGS WE WOULD HAVE TURNED RIGHT INTO HIM. I TALKED TO THE SUPVR AFTER LNDG. I EXPLAINED THAT MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE LACK OF URGENCY IN THE CTLR'S VOICE. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY THAT I THINK THE CTLR WAS ALMOST DEADLY QUIET WHILE TRYING TO ASSESS HIS SIT. HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE TOO LITTLE AND MUCH TOO LATE. IF IT HAD BEEN NIGHT OR IMC I WOULD HAVE TURNED L INTO ANOTHER JET WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS. THE TCASII WORKED WELL. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME (20 YRS) TO CONFRONT A JET HEAD-ON AT A HIGH SPD. REACTION TIMES WERE AMAZINGLY SHORT.

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.