Flight crew of an light transport stopped their departure climb and leveled off to avoid a DC9 also ...

Attributes
ACN	346274
Time
Date	199608
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw airport : zfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	346274
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb, traffic was pointed out at 2 O'clock low and 12 mi. This was a DC9 also in a climb. Center asked if we could maintain visual separation and I stated yes. Shortly after that, the DC9 turned its landing lights off. This made depth perception that much more difficult. The DC9 was closing on a 90 degree course to ours and it became evident we were going to pass very close. At our closure rate, a turn had become an ineffective maneuver. We quickly calculated climb rates and determined the DC9 was out climbing us from TCASII data. We leveled off and the DC9 passed over us at approximately 500 ft. Had the DC9 crew tried to miss us by leveling, this would have been a very serious situation. The fact that both airplanes were climbing while converging made this an almost impossible situation at night. In the future, I will not accept visual separation at night if the situation could remotely result in a conflict. Visual separation at night allows some convenience but can quickly become a dangerous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LTT STOPPED THEIR DEP CLB AND LEVELED OFF TO AVOID A DC9 ALSO CLBING OUT.

Narrative: DURING CLB, TFC WAS POINTED OUT AT 2 O'CLOCK LOW AND 12 MI. THIS WAS A DC9 ALSO IN A CLB. CTR ASKED IF WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND I STATED YES. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE DC9 TURNED ITS LNDG LIGHTS OFF. THIS MADE DEPTH PERCEPTION THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. THE DC9 WAS CLOSING ON A 90 DEG COURSE TO OURS AND IT BECAME EVIDENT WE WERE GOING TO PASS VERY CLOSE. AT OUR CLOSURE RATE, A TURN HAD BECOME AN INEFFECTIVE MANEUVER. WE QUICKLY CALCULATED CLB RATES AND DETERMINED THE DC9 WAS OUT CLBING US FROM TCASII DATA. WE LEVELED OFF AND THE DC9 PASSED OVER US AT APPROX 500 FT. HAD THE DC9 CREW TRIED TO MISS US BY LEVELING, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SIT. THE FACT THAT BOTH AIRPLANES WERE CLBING WHILE CONVERGING MADE THIS AN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE SIT AT NIGHT. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT ACCEPT VISUAL SEPARATION AT NIGHT IF THE SIT COULD REMOTELY RESULT IN A CONFLICT. VISUAL SEPARATION AT NIGHT ALLOWS SOME CONVENIENCE BUT CAN QUICKLY BECOME A DANGEROUS SIT.

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.

Flight crew of an light transport stopped their departure climb and leveled off to avoid a DC9 also climbing out.