Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff on runway 22 at hobby airport. Clearance was a left turn to 360 degrees on the hobby 9 departure. Right after lift-off, tower called traffic at 9-10 O'clock position, 3 mi, 1300 ft, sebound. We called the traffic in sight, and hearing no further instruction from tower, I assumed we were to continue the departure and maintain visual separation. I told my first officer that I intended to start a shallow left turn, keeping the traffic in sight until we were above him, and then increase the bank to comply with the SID. As we passed 1300 ft we were about 2 mi on the TCASII from the traffic. We then received a TCASII RA to 'descend.' I elected to continue the climb instead of descending back into a conflicting altitude. At this time, it appeared our traffic initiated a right turn, as horizontal separation decreased rapidly to between 1-1/2 mi. At the closest point, I would estimate we passed behind and above the traffic (1/2 mi behind and 500 ft above). The traffic passed off to our right on a diverging course with no further incident. I don't think they ever saw us. While I don't classify this as a near miss, it was too close for my personal comfort. I believe the following factors contributed to this incident: 1) the requirement to stay within 3 mi of hub on the SID. In a left turn the long way to 360 degrees, it requires a tight turn. 2) the late call of traffic by the tower and the lack of any further guidance. 3) my decision to continue the departure until we were well clear of the traffic. Next time, I will go no further than a parallel heading until I am above the traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT LTSS IN A NIGHT OP. LATE TA GIVEN TO ACR X WHILE ON SID DEP PROC BY TWR REGARDING ACFT Y. NO FURTHER DIRECTIONS ISSUED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 22 AT HOBBY ARPT. CLRNC WAS A L TURN TO 360 DEGS ON THE HOBBY 9 DEP. RIGHT AFTER LIFT-OFF, TWR CALLED TFC AT 9-10 O'CLOCK POS, 3 MI, 1300 FT, SEBOUND. WE CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT, AND HEARING NO FURTHER INSTRUCTION FROM TWR, I ASSUMED WE WERE TO CONTINUE THE DEP AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. I TOLD MY FO THAT I INTENDED TO START A SHALLOW L TURN, KEEPING THE TFC IN SIGHT UNTIL WE WERE ABOVE HIM, AND THEN INCREASE THE BANK TO COMPLY WITH THE SID. AS WE PASSED 1300 FT WE WERE ABOUT 2 MI ON THE TCASII FROM THE TFC. WE THEN RECEIVED A TCASII RA TO 'DSND.' I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE CLB INSTEAD OF DSNDING BACK INTO A CONFLICTING ALT. AT THIS TIME, IT APPEARED OUR TFC INITIATED A R TURN, AS HORIZ SEPARATION DECREASED RAPIDLY TO BTWN 1-1/2 MI. AT THE CLOSEST POINT, I WOULD ESTIMATE WE PASSED BEHIND AND ABOVE THE TFC (1/2 MI BEHIND AND 500 FT ABOVE). THE TFC PASSED OFF TO OUR R ON A DIVERGING COURSE WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I DON'T THINK THEY EVER SAW US. WHILE I DON'T CLASSIFY THIS AS A NEAR MISS, IT WAS TOO CLOSE FOR MY PERSONAL COMFORT. I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT: 1) THE REQUIREMENT TO STAY WITHIN 3 MI OF HUB ON THE SID. IN A L TURN THE LONG WAY TO 360 DEGS, IT REQUIRES A TIGHT TURN. 2) THE LATE CALL OF TFC BY THE TWR AND THE LACK OF ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE. 3) MY DECISION TO CONTINUE THE DEP UNTIL WE WERE WELL CLR OF THE TFC. NEXT TIME, I WILL GO NO FURTHER THAN A PARALLEL HEADING UNTIL I AM ABOVE THE TFC.

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.