MD80 crew exceeded 250 KTS below 10000 ft after being distraction by converging traffic that was pointed out by nct departure controller. The crew had an FAA inspector on the jumpseat that observed the speed deviation.

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Attributes
ACN	597796
Time
Date	200310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 3000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
ASRS Report	597796
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : airspeed indicators other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Overspd below 10000 ft while avoiding traffic. FAA inspector on cockpit jumpseat. Captain is PF. On climb out through 1500 ft, norcal departure control issues traffic at 2 O'clock position, 3000 ft, a cessna cardinal. We spot the traffic and report to ATC that it is in sight. The cardinal also responds to ATC that he has us in sight and that he 'will maintain visual with the traffic.' the traffic was never really a problem. It was just that in the process of initially looking for the traffic the PF was accelerating in the climb and went through 250 KIAS to about 265 KIAS. I called 'speed' and the PF immediately started a speed reduction. The PF was definitely looking outside and making sure that the traffic was not going to be a problem. I might add that we were on converging courses. Since we were so much faster than the cessna, he passed off our right in the eastbound climb. We were just concerned with the overspd and the FAA inspector observing this. The inspector later complimented us on the crew coordination and commented that it looked like poor ATC control to him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW EXCEEDED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT AFTER BEING DISTR BY CONVERGING TFC THAT WAS POINTED OUT BY NCT DEP CTLR. THE CREW HAD AN FAA INSPECTOR ON THE JUMPSEAT THAT OBSERVED THE SPD DEV.

Narrative: OVERSPD BELOW 10000 FT WHILE AVOIDING TFC. FAA INSPECTOR ON COCKPIT JUMPSEAT. CAPT IS PF. ON CLBOUT THROUGH 1500 FT, NORCAL DEP CTL ISSUES TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS, 3000 FT, A CESSNA CARDINAL. WE SPOT THE TFC AND RPT TO ATC THAT IT IS IN SIGHT. THE CARDINAL ALSO RESPONDS TO ATC THAT HE HAS US IN SIGHT AND THAT HE 'WILL MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH THE TFC.' THE TFC WAS NEVER REALLY A PROB. IT WAS JUST THAT IN THE PROCESS OF INITIALLY LOOKING FOR THE TFC THE PF WAS ACCELERATING IN THE CLB AND WENT THROUGH 250 KIAS TO ABOUT 265 KIAS. I CALLED 'SPD' AND THE PF IMMEDIATELY STARTED A SPD REDUCTION. THE PF WAS DEFINITELY LOOKING OUTSIDE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE TFC WAS NOT GOING TO BE A PROB. I MIGHT ADD THAT WE WERE ON CONVERGING COURSES. SINCE WE WERE SO MUCH FASTER THAN THE CESSNA, HE PASSED OFF OUR R IN THE EBOUND CLB. WE WERE JUST CONCERNED WITH THE OVERSPD AND THE FAA INSPECTOR OBSERVING THIS. THE INSPECTOR LATER COMPLIMENTED US ON THE CREW COORD AND COMMENTED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE POOR ATC CTL TO HIM.

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.