Narrative:

We were on an IFR flight plan from augusta, me, to hyannis, ma. We obtained IFR clearance from portland approach control, initial altitude 3000 ft. On taxi out to runway 35 at augusta, several broadcasts were made 'in the blind' on CTAF. Reported WX at the augusta airport was as follows: wind 020 degrees at 13 KTS, 2000 ft scattered, 2800 ft broken with a lower ceiling north of the airport, estimated by pilots at 1000 ft overcast. IFR release was obtained from portland approach. As we began to taxi onto runway 35, another transmission was made on CTAF declaring our intentions for departure. Another 2 xmissions were made on CTAF as aircraft aligned with runway and during takeoff roll. The captain was the PF. On climb out from takeoff, the aircraft entered instrument conditions at 900 ft AGL. Passing through 1200 ft AGL (aircraft pitch attitude 11-12 degrees) the tcasi became active in the TA mode, 'traffic, traffic.' (manufacturer states 'in airport areas criteria for a TA 15- 20 seconds, less than or equal to .2 mi, +/-600 ft from aircraft.) the tcasi showed altitude separation 0 ft -- horizontal less than or equal to 1/4 mi. The PF initiated an aggressive escape maneuver pitching the aircraft to 25 degrees, vertical speed indicator +4000 FPM, the TA kept going for at least 20-30 seconds -- solid. At the time we were in solid IFR conditions, there is no possible way for an aircraft to maintain VFR conditions. Checking on with portland approach, the controller said nothing about any traffic. When asked by the captain, the controller reluctantly said 'there was a VFR target off of the departure end, he's not talking to anyone.' the traffic was never called to us when we obtained IFR release, nor was the conflicting 'VFR' aircraft on CTAF. The controller did not have a tail number. We almost had a catastrophic midair collision because of an aircraft operating VFR in IFR conditions. Tcasi probably prevented a total loss of aircraft and crew.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE02 CREW INITIATES EVASIVE ACTION AFTER RECEIVING TCASI WARNING ON DEP FROM PWM.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM AUGUSTA, ME, TO HYANNIS, MA. WE OBTAINED IFR CLRNC FROM PORTLAND APCH CTL, INITIAL ALT 3000 FT. ON TAXI OUT TO RWY 35 AT AUGUSTA, SEVERAL BROADCASTS WERE MADE 'IN THE BLIND' ON CTAF. RPTED WX AT THE AUGUSTA ARPT WAS AS FOLLOWS: WIND 020 DEGS AT 13 KTS, 2000 FT SCATTERED, 2800 FT BROKEN WITH A LOWER CEILING N OF THE ARPT, ESTIMATED BY PLTS AT 1000 FT OVCST. IFR RELEASE WAS OBTAINED FROM PORTLAND APCH. AS WE BEGAN TO TAXI ONTO RWY 35, ANOTHER XMISSION WAS MADE ON CTAF DECLARING OUR INTENTIONS FOR DEP. ANOTHER 2 XMISSIONS WERE MADE ON CTAF AS ACFT ALIGNED WITH RWY AND DURING TKOF ROLL. THE CAPT WAS THE PF. ON CLBOUT FROM TKOF, THE ACFT ENTERED INST CONDITIONS AT 900 FT AGL. PASSING THROUGH 1200 FT AGL (ACFT PITCH ATTITUDE 11-12 DEGS) THE TCASI BECAME ACTIVE IN THE TA MODE, 'TFC, TFC.' (MANUFACTURER STATES 'IN ARPT AREAS CRITERIA FOR A TA 15- 20 SECONDS, LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO .2 MI, +/-600 FT FROM ACFT.) THE TCASI SHOWED ALT SEPARATION 0 FT -- HORIZ LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 1/4 MI. THE PF INITIATED AN AGGRESSIVE ESCAPE MANEUVER PITCHING THE ACFT TO 25 DEGS, VERT SPD INDICATOR +4000 FPM, THE TA KEPT GOING FOR AT LEAST 20-30 SECONDS -- SOLID. AT THE TIME WE WERE IN SOLID IFR CONDITIONS, THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR AN ACFT TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. CHKING ON WITH PORTLAND APCH, THE CTLR SAID NOTHING ABOUT ANY TFC. WHEN ASKED BY THE CAPT, THE CTLR RELUCTANTLY SAID 'THERE WAS A VFR TARGET OFF OF THE DEP END, HE'S NOT TALKING TO ANYONE.' THE TFC WAS NEVER CALLED TO US WHEN WE OBTAINED IFR RELEASE, NOR WAS THE CONFLICTING 'VFR' ACFT ON CTAF. THE CTLR DID NOT HAVE A TAIL NUMBER. WE ALMOST HAD A CATASTROPHIC MIDAIR COLLISION BECAUSE OF AN ACFT OPERATING VFR IN IFR CONDITIONS. TCASI PROBABLY PREVENTED A TOTAL LOSS OF ACFT AND CREW.

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.