Narrative:

On the oasys two departure on 260 degree heading portion of published departure, runway 19L departure, saw a glider pass off our right side at our altitude, climbing 11000-12000 ft in a turn to avoid us (maybe). Vertical separation approximately 500 ft. We never would have seen it in time to do evasive action. Determined approximately position of glider over ridge of mountains west of las on approximately 220 degree radial 25-30 DME from las VOR. ZLA frequency was controling and we reported to them. They checked with las departure and said they failed to paint them until 12500 ft on radar. There were other gliders in the vicinity. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: there are many glider operations in the las vicinity. A sailplane/glider club operator was contacted to see what information was relayed to their pilots. One member has briefed the group to avoid areas southwest of las just outside of the class B and at higher altitudes. The spokesperson stated that there are gliders that do encroach in that area but they are from other airports, some as far away as california, on long distance soaring meets and have not been through the briefings that the local club members have had. The captain reporter called back and stated that ZLA contacted las departure controller who said that the gliders, if noted at all, would not be detected until above 12500 ft. Reporter did not contact union safety but did confer with the airline safety department.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC NOTES A GLIDER OFF TO THEIR R SIDE IN AN EVASIVE MANEUVER TURN TO AVOID AN NMAC WITH THEIR FLT WHILE CLBING TOWARDS 12000 FT 25 MI SW OF LAS, NV.

Narrative: ON THE OASYS TWO DEP ON 260 DEG HDG PORTION OF PUBLISHED DEP, RWY 19L DEP, SAW A GLIDER PASS OFF OUR R SIDE AT OUR ALT, CLBING 11000-12000 FT IN A TURN TO AVOID US (MAYBE). VERT SEPARATION APPROX 500 FT. WE NEVER WOULD HAVE SEEN IT IN TIME TO DO EVASIVE ACTION. DETERMINED APPROX POS OF GLIDER OVER RIDGE OF MOUNTAINS W OF LAS ON APPROX 220 DEG RADIAL 25-30 DME FROM LAS VOR. ZLA FREQ WAS CTLING AND WE RPTED TO THEM. THEY CHKED WITH LAS DEP AND SAID THEY FAILED TO PAINT THEM UNTIL 12500 FT ON RADAR. THERE WERE OTHER GLIDERS IN THE VICINITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THERE ARE MANY GLIDER OPS IN THE LAS VICINITY. A SAILPLANE/GLIDER CLUB OPERATOR WAS CONTACTED TO SEE WHAT INFO WAS RELAYED TO THEIR PLTS. ONE MEMBER HAS BRIEFED THE GROUP TO AVOID AREAS SW OF LAS JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS B AND AT HIGHER ALTS. THE SPOKESPERSON STATED THAT THERE ARE GLIDERS THAT DO ENCROACH IN THAT AREA BUT THEY ARE FROM OTHER ARPTS, SOME AS FAR AWAY AS CALIFORNIA, ON LONG DISTANCE SOARING MEETS AND HAVE NOT BEEN THROUGH THE BRIEFINGS THAT THE LCL CLUB MEMBERS HAVE HAD. THE CAPT RPTR CALLED BACK AND STATED THAT ZLA CONTACTED LAS DEP CTLR WHO SAID THAT THE GLIDERS, IF NOTED AT ALL, WOULD NOT BE DETECTED UNTIL ABOVE 12500 FT. RPTR DID NOT CONTACT UNION SAFETY BUT DID CONFER WITH THE AIRLINE SAFETY DEPT.

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.