Narrative:

Climbing through FL240 up to a cleared altitude of FL350 out of sju, pr. On a 295 degree heading for WX avoidance at 320 KIAS, ATC requested a 20 degree left turn for holding traffic at FL250 in our 2-3 O'clock position. We told ATC we were unable the 20 degree left turn due to a thunderstorm on that heading and we needed to maintain the 295 degree heading for 5 more mi before we could turn left 20 degrees, and ATC acknowledged. TCASII indicated a TA and we had visual contact with the holding aircraft at FL250. We slowed our speed from 320 KTS to 290 KTS in order to rapidly climb above the holding aircraft. As we increased our rate of climb to above 2000 FPM, we received an RA to reduce our vertical speed. Due to our rate of climb, we quickly received a TCASII 'clear of conflict' before we could perform the TCASII avoidance maneuver. Suggestions: 1) ATC should have stopped our climb at FL240. 2) ATC could have turned the holding aircraft away from us or had him continue present heading. The holding aircraft was in a r-hand holding pattern and turned into us. Supplemental information from acn 450300: he was in a r-hand holding pattern and turned right at the holding fix which was in the direction of our aircraft. Supplemental information from acn 450487: flight dfw-sju. Due WX, sju airport closed. Arrs given holding clrncs 10 NM northwest roble, standard pattern, right turns. We received clearance to hold as stated above, FL240, 20 mi legs. Slowed to 220 KTS approaching holding fix. Approaching holding fix, ZSU advised an outbound aircraft of our position in a holding pattern. This aircraft acknowledged the transmission and stated they had us in sight. Approximately same instant, we received a TCASII TA. We began our outbound turn and subsequently received an RA while losing sight of the aircraft because of the turn. We complied with the RA commands, which were a 2000 FPM climb. First officer estimates a 500 ft vertical and lateral miss as the outbound aircraft flew through the holding pattern at our altitude on his climb out. No injuries. Climb to avoid took us to FL250. No traffic above. Analysis: WX in terminal area caused need for non published holding. Hastily determined holding fix (10 NM northwest roble) actually moved the holding pattern over a converging airway (A555) which ZSU may have been using as a departure. I have no indication the other aircraft did any maneuver to avoid collision. I was too busy and too shaken to do immediate verbal follow-up with ZSU.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CLBING A320 NARROWLY AVOIDS A B757 IN A HOLDING PATTERN AT FL240 ON AIRWAY A555 THAT WAS SIGHTED AFTER AN ATC ADVISORY AND REQUEST FOR A 20 DEG L TURN, NW OF SJU, PR.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH FL240 UP TO A CLRED ALT OF FL350 OUT OF SJU, PR. ON A 295 DEG HDG FOR WX AVOIDANCE AT 320 KIAS, ATC REQUESTED A 20 DEG L TURN FOR HOLDING TFC AT FL250 IN OUR 2-3 O'CLOCK POS. WE TOLD ATC WE WERE UNABLE THE 20 DEG L TURN DUE TO A TSTM ON THAT HDG AND WE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THE 295 DEG HDG FOR 5 MORE MI BEFORE WE COULD TURN L 20 DEGS, AND ATC ACKNOWLEDGED. TCASII INDICATED A TA AND WE HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE HOLDING ACFT AT FL250. WE SLOWED OUR SPD FROM 320 KTS TO 290 KTS IN ORDER TO RAPIDLY CLB ABOVE THE HOLDING ACFT. AS WE INCREASED OUR RATE OF CLB TO ABOVE 2000 FPM, WE RECEIVED AN RA TO REDUCE OUR VERT SPD. DUE TO OUR RATE OF CLB, WE QUICKLY RECEIVED A TCASII 'CLR OF CONFLICT' BEFORE WE COULD PERFORM THE TCASII AVOIDANCE MANEUVER. SUGGESTIONS: 1) ATC SHOULD HAVE STOPPED OUR CLB AT FL240. 2) ATC COULD HAVE TURNED THE HOLDING ACFT AWAY FROM US OR HAD HIM CONTINUE PRESENT HDG. THE HOLDING ACFT WAS IN A R-HAND HOLDING PATTERN AND TURNED INTO US. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 450300: HE WAS IN A R-HAND HOLDING PATTERN AND TURNED R AT THE HOLDING FIX WHICH WAS IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR ACFT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 450487: FLT DFW-SJU. DUE WX, SJU ARPT CLOSED. ARRS GIVEN HOLDING CLRNCS 10 NM NW ROBLE, STANDARD PATTERN, R TURNS. WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO HOLD AS STATED ABOVE, FL240, 20 MI LEGS. SLOWED TO 220 KTS APCHING HOLDING FIX. APCHING HOLDING FIX, ZSU ADVISED AN OUTBOUND ACFT OF OUR POS IN A HOLDING PATTERN. THIS ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION AND STATED THEY HAD US IN SIGHT. APPROX SAME INSTANT, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA. WE BEGAN OUR OUTBOUND TURN AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED AN RA WHILE LOSING SIGHT OF THE ACFT BECAUSE OF THE TURN. WE COMPLIED WITH THE RA COMMANDS, WHICH WERE A 2000 FPM CLB. FO ESTIMATES A 500 FT VERT AND LATERAL MISS AS THE OUTBOUND ACFT FLEW THROUGH THE HOLDING PATTERN AT OUR ALT ON HIS CLBOUT. NO INJURIES. CLB TO AVOID TOOK US TO FL250. NO TFC ABOVE. ANALYSIS: WX IN TERMINAL AREA CAUSED NEED FOR NON PUBLISHED HOLDING. HASTILY DETERMINED HOLDING FIX (10 NM NW ROBLE) ACTUALLY MOVED THE HOLDING PATTERN OVER A CONVERGING AIRWAY (A555) WHICH ZSU MAY HAVE BEEN USING AS A DEP. I HAVE NO INDICATION THE OTHER ACFT DID ANY MANEUVER TO AVOID COLLISION. I WAS TOO BUSY AND TOO SHAKEN TO DO IMMEDIATE VERBAL FOLLOW-UP WITH ZSU.

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.