A departure CL65 narrowly misses a hang glider at 5000 ft 18 mi northwest of swf, ny.

Attributes
ACN	509467
Time
Date	200104
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : weard
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	509467
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : undershoot conflict : nmac inflight encounter other non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climbing out of swf through 5000 ft had near midair collision with hang glider. We had had a brief pressure problem that caused us to stop our climb at 4000 ft. ATC then turned us to 360 degrees to avoid a cessna at 10 O'clock position. We fixed the problem and began our climb to 9000 ft while I (captain) entered direct weard in the FMS. The first officer was flying and he saw the hang glider first and began evasive maneuver to right. I looked up to see him pass off the left side of aircraft. We notified ATC and she said she would report it. Flight continued to atl. Causes: 1) hang glider flying too high in a high density area. 2) ATC failure to notify us of hang gliders in area. Although I don't think she knew of specific activity, she did say hang gliders were common in that area (we were over a ridge). 3) being distraction by cessna traffic which we saw, and I (captain, PNF) had my head down entering data in FMS. 4) being at lower than normal altitude due to pack (pressure) problem. 5) absence of NOTAMS on hang gliding activity in area. (At least none that we knew of.) solution: as usual, a series of problems led to the near midair collision starting with our pressurization procedure. It would seem to me that if the hang gliders were restr to a lower altitude, especially in that area, this could have been avoided. I hope the glider pilot is alright.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEP CL65 NARROWLY MISSES A HANG GLIDER AT 5000 FT 18 MI NW OF SWF, NY.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF SWF THROUGH 5000 FT HAD NMAC WITH HANG GLIDER. WE HAD HAD A BRIEF PRESSURE PROB THAT CAUSED US TO STOP OUR CLB AT 4000 FT. ATC THEN TURNED US TO 360 DEGS TO AVOID A CESSNA AT 10 O'CLOCK POS. WE FIXED THE PROB AND BEGAN OUR CLB TO 9000 FT WHILE I (CAPT) ENTERED DIRECT WEARD IN THE FMS. THE FO WAS FLYING AND HE SAW THE HANG GLIDER FIRST AND BEGAN EVASIVE MANEUVER TO R. I LOOKED UP TO SEE HIM PASS OFF THE L SIDE OF ACFT. WE NOTIFIED ATC AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD RPT IT. FLT CONTINUED TO ATL. CAUSES: 1) HANG GLIDER FLYING TOO HIGH IN A HIGH DENSITY AREA. 2) ATC FAILURE TO NOTIFY US OF HANG GLIDERS IN AREA. ALTHOUGH I DON'T THINK SHE KNEW OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITY, SHE DID SAY HANG GLIDERS WERE COMMON IN THAT AREA (WE WERE OVER A RIDGE). 3) BEING DISTR BY CESSNA TFC WHICH WE SAW, AND I (CAPT, PNF) HAD MY HEAD DOWN ENTERING DATA IN FMS. 4) BEING AT LOWER THAN NORMAL ALT DUE TO PACK (PRESSURE) PROB. 5) ABSENCE OF NOTAMS ON HANG GLIDING ACTIVITY IN AREA. (AT LEAST NONE THAT WE KNEW OF.) SOLUTION: AS USUAL, A SERIES OF PROBS LED TO THE NMAC STARTING WITH OUR PRESSURIZATION PROC. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IF THE HANG GLIDERS WERE RESTR TO A LOWER ALT, ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. I HOPE THE GLIDER PLT IS ALRIGHT.

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.