B767 crew was required to descend to avoid controller issued traffic while departing sfo class B air...

Attributes
ACN	526061
Time
Date	200109
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 4600
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 896
ASRS Report	525863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 61 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 61
ASRS Report	526061
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic controller : issued alert other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Departure clearance was to climb to 15000 ft. During climb out at 2000 ft, we heard turn left to 280 degrees. Captain was flying and at 1900 ft he initiated the turn. Climbing through 4600 ft, controller said he needed us at 4000 ft due to traffic at 2 O'clock position at 5000 ft. We immediately descended to 4000 ft. He reported the traffic was passing behind us and no TA/RA alert was received. Our next clearance was to turn to 240 degrees up to 15000 ft followed by 200 degrees to intercept offshore 5 departure to sna. There was no further discussion from the controller as to what had taken place. We don't believe we ever heard him communicate to us to level at 4000 ft. There was a lot of radio activity going on and it sounded like he was talking to other people on another frequency and we could not hear their responses to him. The xmissions were blocked and I had difficulty hearing our instructions. The captain had briefed that we were cleared to 15000 ft and if we got a leveloff at 4000 ft be concerned because of terrain. The controller didn't say 'I told you to level at 4000 ft.' he said as we were passing through 4600 ft, 'I need you at 4000 ft for traffic.' he was speaking very rapidly and was giving many instructions at once. With blocked xmissions, it made hearing/repeating clrncs difficult. The first officer saw the traffic at 2 O'clock position then pass safely behind us. No TA/RA was received.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CREW WAS REQUIRED TO DSND TO AVOID CTLR ISSUED TFC WHILE DEPARTING SFO CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: DEP CLRNC WAS TO CLB TO 15000 FT. DURING CLBOUT AT 2000 FT, WE HEARD TURN L TO 280 DEGS. CAPT WAS FLYING AND AT 1900 FT HE INITIATED THE TURN. CLBING THROUGH 4600 FT, CTLR SAID HE NEEDED US AT 4000 FT DUE TO TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS AT 5000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED TO 4000 FT. HE RPTED THE TFC WAS PASSING BEHIND US AND NO TA/RA ALERT WAS RECEIVED. OUR NEXT CLRNC WAS TO TURN TO 240 DEGS UP TO 15000 FT FOLLOWED BY 200 DEGS TO INTERCEPT OFFSHORE 5 DEP TO SNA. THERE WAS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM THE CTLR AS TO WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE. WE DON'T BELIEVE WE EVER HEARD HIM COMMUNICATE TO US TO LEVEL AT 4000 FT. THERE WAS A LOT OF RADIO ACTIVITY GOING ON AND IT SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE ON ANOTHER FREQ AND WE COULD NOT HEAR THEIR RESPONSES TO HIM. THE XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED AND I HAD DIFFICULTY HEARING OUR INSTRUCTIONS. THE CAPT HAD BRIEFED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 15000 FT AND IF WE GOT A LEVELOFF AT 4000 FT BE CONCERNED BECAUSE OF TERRAIN. THE CTLR DIDN'T SAY 'I TOLD YOU TO LEVEL AT 4000 FT.' HE SAID AS WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 4600 FT, 'I NEED YOU AT 4000 FT FOR TFC.' HE WAS SPEAKING VERY RAPIDLY AND WAS GIVING MANY INSTRUCTIONS AT ONCE. WITH BLOCKED XMISSIONS, IT MADE HEARING/REPEATING CLRNCS DIFFICULT. THE FO SAW THE TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS THEN PASS SAFELY BEHIND US. NO TA/RA WAS RECEIVED.

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.

B767 crew was required to descend to avoid controller issued traffic while departing sfo class B airspace.