Narrative:

Takeoff rochester runway 22 at XW30 local. Clearance was runway heading for vectors on course, maintain 10000 ft. Departure control said to maintain 7000 ft leveled at 7000 ft. Departure control then said cleared to rockdale VOR and on course. Since rka VOR was not being received, both pilots agreed on a 120 degree heading until receiving. Departure control called traffic at 10-11 O'clock, 8000 ft, approximately 5 mi. PF called traffic in sight, and departure control said maintain visual contact and cleared to 10000 ft. PF started a climb. PNF checked for traffic and crosschecked TCASII. PNF thought we would clear traffic by at least 3 plus mi horizontally and 2000 ft plus vertically. TCASII then gave a traffic alert. Both pilots checked traffic and TCASII. Traffic appeared to be 3 mi horizontal and approximately level. Climb status was checked. Climb rate and power had been reduced by pms. PF advanced power and increased climb rate. TCASII gave an RA of 'don't climb' shortly thereafter. Because of our relative position - traffic just inside 2 1/2 mi ring (10 mi range) and apparently going below us, and also our rate of climb, etc, climb was continued. Traffic was visual throughout. TCASII RA stopped and PNF estimates we passed in front of traffic 2 mi horizontal and 1000 ft vertical. PNF called clear of traffic . Not one word was heard from departure control or other aircraft. Pilots had been on duty since XW05 local (PNF up since XH00). Had flown 5 hours with a 3 hour layover in atl. Felt a little tired but perfectly capable of performing duties. In retrospect: 1) should have stayed with radar vectors. 2) never accept visual separation climb, etc, especially at night. 3) check climb performance sooner. 4) both pilots agree on visual contact, situation and appropriate action before accepting any clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTSS.

Narrative: TKOF ROCHESTER RWY 22 AT XW30 LCL. CLRNC WAS RWY HDG FOR VECTORS ON COURSE, MAINTAIN 10000 FT. DEP CTL SAID TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT LEVELED AT 7000 FT. DEP CTL THEN SAID CLRED TO ROCKDALE VOR AND ON COURSE. SINCE RKA VOR WAS NOT BEING RECEIVED, BOTH PLTS AGREED ON A 120 DEG HDG UNTIL RECEIVING. DEP CTL CALLED TFC AT 10-11 O'CLOCK, 8000 FT, APPROX 5 MI. PF CALLED TFC IN SIGHT, AND DEP CTL SAID MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT AND CLRED TO 10000 FT. PF STARTED A CLB. PNF CHKED FOR TFC AND XCHKED TCASII. PNF THOUGHT WE WOULD CLR TFC BY AT LEAST 3 PLUS MI HORIZLY AND 2000 FT PLUS VERTLY. TCASII THEN GAVE A TFC ALERT. BOTH PLTS CHKED TFC AND TCASII. TFC APPEARED TO BE 3 MI HORIZ AND APPROX LEVEL. CLB STATUS WAS CHKED. CLB RATE AND PWR HAD BEEN REDUCED BY PMS. PF ADVANCED PWR AND INCREASED CLB RATE. TCASII GAVE AN RA OF 'DON'T CLB' SHORTLY THEREAFTER. BECAUSE OF OUR RELATIVE POS - TFC JUST INSIDE 2 1/2 MI RING (10 MI RANGE) AND APPARENTLY GOING BELOW US, AND ALSO OUR RATE OF CLB, ETC, CLB WAS CONTINUED. TFC WAS VISUAL THROUGHOUT. TCASII RA STOPPED AND PNF ESTIMATES WE PASSED IN FRONT OF TFC 2 MI HORIZ AND 1000 FT VERT. PNF CALLED CLR OF TFC . NOT ONE WORD WAS HEARD FROM DEP CTL OR OTHER ACFT. PLTS HAD BEEN ON DUTY SINCE XW05 LCL (PNF UP SINCE XH00). HAD FLOWN 5 HRS WITH A 3 HR LAYOVER IN ATL. FELT A LITTLE TIRED BUT PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF PERFORMING DUTIES. IN RETROSPECT: 1) SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH RADAR VECTORS. 2) NEVER ACCEPT VISUAL SEPARATION CLB, ETC, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. 3) CHK CLB PERFORMANCE SOONER. 4) BOTH PLTS AGREE ON VISUAL CONTACT, SIT AND APPROPRIATE ACTION BEFORE ACCEPTING ANY CLRNC.

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.