Narrative:

On panther departure from clt, we were established on a 025 degree heading when ATC issued a clearance to proceed direct meril upon reaching 5 DME from clt (unusual clearance). ATC then had us turn to 060 degree heading. Next came another clearance, direct to meril. TCAS gave a 'traffic' alert and a yellow indicator for a target indicating approximately 11 O'clock position and 5 mi. While passing approximately 7500 ft MSL, a TCASII RA commanded a descent of 2000 FPM to 2300 FPM. The captain lowered the nose to stop the climb and rolled right away from the traffic. The altitude stopped at 8600 ft MSL (400 ft below the traffic). Traffic passed abeam us at 1.5 NM. After the climb was reversed, TCAS issued a 'monitor vertical speed,' followed shortly by a 'clear of conflict.' our immediate obedience to the TCAS and turn reversed the 2500-3000 FPM climb to a 500-1000 FPM descent and kept lateral separation from the traffic. GPWS issued a 'monitor bank angle' during the turn as our bank approached 45 degrees. The conflict occurred because of the unusual clearance at 5 DME, then direct meril with a climb to 14000 ft. I believe the controller did not anticipate the closure of the 2 aircraft. Lesson learned -- trust the TCAS, it works. Supplemental information from acn 562797: I was flying and disconnected autoplt and autothrottles and descended while turning right. Traffic passed 1.5 NM to the left at +400 ft. ATC was immediately informed of a traffic avoidance maneuver and issued a 090 degree heading. We asked who the aircraft was and they volunteered no other information. We did this exact departure 2 times the day before and it seemed strange from the start, when we were given a direct meril at 5 DME. I've never been given that clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE CALL, A POTENTIAL CONFLICT AT 7500 FT BTWN A DEP B737-400 ON VECTORS, WITH AN INBOUND B737-300 20 NM NE OF CLT, NC.

Narrative: ON PANTHER DEP FROM CLT, WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON A 025 DEG HDG WHEN ATC ISSUED A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT MERIL UPON REACHING 5 DME FROM CLT (UNUSUAL CLRNC). ATC THEN HAD US TURN TO 060 DEG HDG. NEXT CAME ANOTHER CLRNC, DIRECT TO MERIL. TCAS GAVE A 'TFC' ALERT AND A YELLOW INDICATOR FOR A TARGET INDICATING APPROX 11 O'CLOCK POS AND 5 MI. WHILE PASSING APPROX 7500 FT MSL, A TCASII RA COMMANDED A DSCNT OF 2000 FPM TO 2300 FPM. THE CAPT LOWERED THE NOSE TO STOP THE CLB AND ROLLED R AWAY FROM THE TFC. THE ALT STOPPED AT 8600 FT MSL (400 FT BELOW THE TFC). TFC PASSED ABEAM US AT 1.5 NM. AFTER THE CLB WAS REVERSED, TCAS ISSUED A 'MONITOR VERT SPD,' FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY A 'CLR OF CONFLICT.' OUR IMMEDIATE OBEDIENCE TO THE TCAS AND TURN REVERSED THE 2500-3000 FPM CLB TO A 500-1000 FPM DSCNT AND KEPT LATERAL SEPARATION FROM THE TFC. GPWS ISSUED A 'MONITOR BANK ANGLE' DURING THE TURN AS OUR BANK APCHED 45 DEGS. THE CONFLICT OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL CLRNC AT 5 DME, THEN DIRECT MERIL WITH A CLB TO 14000 FT. I BELIEVE THE CTLR DID NOT ANTICIPATE THE CLOSURE OF THE 2 ACFT. LESSON LEARNED -- TRUST THE TCAS, IT WORKS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 562797: I WAS FLYING AND DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES AND DSNDED WHILE TURNING R. TFC PASSED 1.5 NM TO THE L AT +400 FT. ATC WAS IMMEDIATELY INFORMED OF A TFC AVOIDANCE MANEUVER AND ISSUED A 090 DEG HDG. WE ASKED WHO THE ACFT WAS AND THEY VOLUNTEERED NO OTHER INFO. WE DID THIS EXACT DEP 2 TIMES THE DAY BEFORE AND IT SEEMED STRANGE FROM THE START, WHEN WE WERE GIVEN A DIRECT MERIL AT 5 DME. I'VE NEVER BEEN GIVEN THAT CLRNC.

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.