Air carrier B727-200 flight crew avoids imminent conflict with aid of TCASII in freeport bahamas.

Attributes
ACN	423633
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfp
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	423633
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 400
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Aircraft xyz was cleared to depart mygf via BR62V as filed, maintain at or below 7000 ft until 10 DME northwest of mygf/zfp, then climb to 15000 ft. Before takeoff, tower advised VFR traffic northwest climbing to 4500 ft. No distance or radial information was given. Our flight crew decided it must not be a conflict since we were still cleared via the same route. However, we were all on the lookout for the traffic. While climbing, we saw TCASII traffic 5 mi ahead at 400 ft above our altitude. We decided that a conflict was imminent and advised approach that we were descending to avoid the traffic. Freeport advised us that no IFR separation for VFR traffic was given at their facility. I asked why we weren't cleared via a different route or to maintain an altitude below the departure traffic until clear. This reporter has personally been involved in many, many traffic conflicts within the mygf class D airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B727-200 FLC AVOIDS IMMINENT CONFLICT WITH AID OF TCASII IN FREEPORT BAHAMAS.

Narrative: ACFT XYZ WAS CLRED TO DEPART MYGF VIA BR62V AS FILED, MAINTAIN AT OR BELOW 7000 FT UNTIL 10 DME NW OF MYGF/ZFP, THEN CLB TO 15000 FT. BEFORE TKOF, TWR ADVISED VFR TFC NW CLBING TO 4500 FT. NO DISTANCE OR RADIAL INFO WAS GIVEN. OUR FLC DECIDED IT MUST NOT BE A CONFLICT SINCE WE WERE STILL CLRED VIA THE SAME RTE. HOWEVER, WE WERE ALL ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE TFC. WHILE CLBING, WE SAW TCASII TFC 5 MI AHEAD AT 400 FT ABOVE OUR ALT. WE DECIDED THAT A CONFLICT WAS IMMINENT AND ADVISED APCH THAT WE WERE DSNDING TO AVOID THE TFC. FREEPORT ADVISED US THAT NO IFR SEPARATION FOR VFR TFC WAS GIVEN AT THEIR FACILITY. I ASKED WHY WE WEREN'T CLRED VIA A DIFFERENT RTE OR TO MAINTAIN AN ALT BELOW THE DEP TFC UNTIL CLR. THIS RPTR HAS PERSONALLY BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY, MANY TFC CONFLICTS WITHIN THE MYGF CLASS D AIRSPACE.

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.