Air carrier X had near midair collision with VFR piper. See and avoid concept. Evasive action taken.

Attributes
ACN	302880
Time
Date	199504
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : svg
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : gsp
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	302880
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Air carrier X during climb out on IFR flight plan, passing approximately 7500 ft MSL with clearance to 10000 ft MSL. Departure control called out traffic at 12 to 12:30 O'clock and 8500 ft MSL VFR with mode C indicating 8300 ft. Visibility was unrestr and, as I and the copilot searched for traffic, the controller gave us a 20 degree right turn to avoid the VFR traffic (a single engine piper). As I rolled out of the turn, the piper indicated he had visual contact on us just as we passed approximately 8100 ft and the controller instructed him to maintain visual contact. As that exchange was going on with the piper and the controller, I got visual contact with the traffic and the copilot advised the controller that we had a visual on the piper. However, the 20 degree right turn that the controller had given us had put us on an intersecting course with the piper. We climbed through his altitude and he passed directly underneath and approximately 200-300 ft below with almost no lateral separation. I questioned the controller about whether he had intended to give us a right turn or had mis-spoke and he said he had intended a right turn. I told him that we had been able to see-and-avoid with no problem but that the 20 degree turn had brought us closer to the traffic and not farther away. The pilot in the piper indicated the same sentiments to the controller. The controller stated that his radar track display indicated that the 20 degree right turn was the best choice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD NMAC WITH VFR PIPER. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: ACR X DURING CLBOUT ON IFR FLT PLAN, PASSING APPROX 7500 FT MSL WITH CLRNC TO 10000 FT MSL. DEP CTL CALLED OUT TFC AT 12 TO 12:30 O'CLOCK AND 8500 FT MSL VFR WITH MODE C INDICATING 8300 FT. VISIBILITY WAS UNRESTR AND, AS I AND THE COPLT SEARCHED FOR TFC, THE CTLR GAVE US A 20 DEG R TURN TO AVOID THE VFR TFC (A SINGLE ENG PIPER). AS I ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN, THE PIPER INDICATED HE HAD VISUAL CONTACT ON US JUST AS WE PASSED APPROX 8100 FT AND THE CTLR INSTRUCTED HIM TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT. AS THAT EXCHANGE WAS GOING ON WITH THE PIPER AND THE CTLR, I GOT VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC AND THE COPLT ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE HAD A VISUAL ON THE PIPER. HOWEVER, THE 20 DEG R TURN THAT THE CTLR HAD GIVEN US HAD PUT US ON AN INTERSECTING COURSE WITH THE PIPER. WE CLBED THROUGH HIS ALT AND HE PASSED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH AND APPROX 200-300 FT BELOW WITH ALMOST NO LATERAL SEPARATION. I QUESTIONED THE CTLR ABOUT WHETHER HE HAD INTENDED TO GIVE US A R TURN OR HAD MIS-SPOKE AND HE SAID HE HAD INTENDED A R TURN. I TOLD HIM THAT WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO SEE-AND-AVOID WITH NO PROB BUT THAT THE 20 DEG TURN HAD BROUGHT US CLOSER TO THE TFC AND NOT FARTHER AWAY. THE PLT IN THE PIPER INDICATED THE SAME SENTIMENTS TO THE CTLR. THE CTLR STATED THAT HIS RADAR TRACK DISPLAY INDICATED THAT THE 20 DEG R TURN WAS THE BEST CHOICE.

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.