Narrative:

Our flight was cleared for takeoff on runway 31R at dsm with the restr of 2500 ft. Tower advised us that traffic was crossing the departure path at 3000 ft. The takeoff proceeded, and we were handed off to departure control, who issued a right turn toward our first departure fix, otm. I initiated the turn, hand flying the aircraft. My first officer, who has a wonderful habit of looking out the window when we turn, said 'stop your turn!' simultaneously, departure issued traffic 3 O'clock at 2400 ft, no distance specified. I rolled level and nosed over, stopping our climb at 2300 ft and passed ahead of and slightly below a single engine cessna. A query to ATC brought another voice who said they had not been able to climb the cessna due to frequency congestion. Had I been informed that the traffic was actually at our cleared altitude, we would have delayed the takeoff. My first officer's warning came before the TCASII alert. Bottom line is, we still have to look out the window, and as our airplanes get more complicated, that is getting harder to do. My company requires the PNF to set airspeed bugs to limit speeds (200, 250 KIAS) and make selections to the flight director panel in response to PF directions. So he could just as easily been looking at the panel instead of saving our butts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEPARTING MDT JET TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY STOPPING THEIR ASSIGNED TURN AND LEVELING OFF EARLY TO AVOID ANOTHER OBSERVED ACFT IN THEIR FLT PATH.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 31R AT DSM WITH THE RESTR OF 2500 FT. TWR ADVISED US THAT TFC WAS XING THE DEP PATH AT 3000 FT. THE TKOF PROCEEDED, AND WE WERE HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL, WHO ISSUED A R TURN TOWARD OUR FIRST DEP FIX, OTM. I INITIATED THE TURN, HAND FLYING THE ACFT. MY FO, WHO HAS A WONDERFUL HABIT OF LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW WHEN WE TURN, SAID 'STOP YOUR TURN!' SIMULTANEOUSLY, DEP ISSUED TFC 3 O'CLOCK AT 2400 FT, NO DISTANCE SPECIFIED. I ROLLED LEVEL AND NOSED OVER, STOPPING OUR CLB AT 2300 FT AND PASSED AHEAD OF AND SLIGHTLY BELOW A SINGLE ENG CESSNA. A QUERY TO ATC BROUGHT ANOTHER VOICE WHO SAID THEY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO CLB THE CESSNA DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION. HAD I BEEN INFORMED THAT THE TFC WAS ACTUALLY AT OUR CLRED ALT, WE WOULD HAVE DELAYED THE TKOF. MY FO'S WARNING CAME BEFORE THE TCASII ALERT. BOTTOM LINE IS, WE STILL HAVE TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW, AND AS OUR AIRPLANES GET MORE COMPLICATED, THAT IS GETTING HARDER TO DO. MY COMPANY REQUIRES THE PNF TO SET AIRSPD BUGS TO LIMIT SPDS (200, 250 KIAS) AND MAKE SELECTIONS TO THE FLT DIRECTOR PANEL IN RESPONSE TO PF DIRECTIONS. SO HE COULD JUST AS EASILY BEEN LOOKING AT THE PANEL INSTEAD OF SAVING OUR BUTTS.

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.