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With conflicting traffic 1000 ft above, flight crew cleared to climb through traffic's altitude if maintaining visual separation. Because traffic was converging, separation became difficult.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 328010 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199602 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ptw |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zny |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 19300 flight time type : 14900 |
| ASRS Report | 328010 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 5000 |
| ASRS Report | 328157 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
During climb out we were cleared to 15000 ft and given traffic at 16000 ft. ATC offered a VFR climb to 17000 ft if we could maintain visual separation with traffic. We located traffic, which initially appeared to be same direction of flight, accepted the climb clearance, initiated climb. Initial rate was 3000 FPM, which should have provided more than adequate separation. During the climb, passing 15500 ft, it became apparent that traffic was not on same course, but rather was converging. We increased our rate of climb. Adequate separation was maintained. Hindsight indicates how hard it is to judge closure rates and speeds with converging traffic. ATC was in the best position to see this and probably should not have offered the VFR climb. We probably should have requested more information on traffic's direction of flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WITH CONFLICTING TFC 1000 FT ABOVE, FLC CLRED TO CLB THROUGH TFC'S ALT IF MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. BECAUSE TFC WAS CONVERGING, SEPARATION BECAME DIFFICULT.
Narrative: DURING CLBOUT WE WERE CLRED TO 15000 FT AND GIVEN TFC AT 16000 FT. ATC OFFERED A VFR CLB TO 17000 FT IF WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH TFC. WE LOCATED TFC, WHICH INITIALLY APPEARED TO BE SAME DIRECTION OF FLT, ACCEPTED THE CLB CLRNC, INITIATED CLB. INITIAL RATE WAS 3000 FPM, WHICH SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED MORE THAN ADEQUATE SEPARATION. DURING THE CLB, PASSING 15500 FT, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT TFC WAS NOT ON SAME COURSE, BUT RATHER WAS CONVERGING. WE INCREASED OUR RATE OF CLB. ADEQUATE SEPARATION WAS MAINTAINED. HINDSIGHT INDICATES HOW HARD IT IS TO JUDGE CLOSURE RATES AND SPDS WITH CONVERGING TFC. ATC WAS IN THE BEST POS TO SEE THIS AND PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE OFFERED THE VFR CLB. WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED MORE INFO ON TFC'S DIRECTION OF FLT.
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.