Narrative:

On climb out from sdf, about 50 mi northwest of airport, we were level at 14000 ft. ZID advised us traffic at our 10 O'clock position. We replied we had traffic in sight. ZID then told us to maintain visual contact with traffic and climb to FL230. We started to climb when captain said that he lost the traffic. At that moment, ZID asked us if we still had a visual on the traffic, which we replied no. ZID immediately told us to descend to 14000 ft, which captain did immediately. ZID then told us to descend to 14000 ft and turn right to heading 090 degrees (we were originally heading 345 degrees), and report level at 14000 ft. We leveled at 14000 ft while captain was turning through 355 degree heading and reported level. ZID then told us to turn to heading 345 degrees and go direct bvt VOR. We complied with this clearance. Mins later, we were cleared to FL230, and were given frequency change. We switched frequencys. Mins later, the ZID controller gave us a phone number to call for possible pilot deviation. Upon landing at msp, we called ZID. They said they reviewed tape and found no violation of altitude or spacing. In future, I would not accept climb while maintaining visual separation at night. It's too easy to lose traffic.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 FLT CREW FEELS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD A PLTDEV.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM SDF, ABOUT 50 MI NW OF ARPT, WE WERE LEVEL AT 14000 FT. ZID ADVISED US TFC AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. WE REPLIED WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT. ZID THEN TOLD US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH TFC AND CLB TO FL230. WE STARTED TO CLB WHEN CAPT SAID THAT HE LOST THE TFC. AT THAT MOMENT, ZID ASKED US IF WE STILL HAD A VISUAL ON THE TFC, WHICH WE REPLIED NO. ZID IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO DSND TO 14000 FT, WHICH CAPT DID IMMEDIATELY. ZID THEN TOLD US TO DSND TO 14000 FT AND TURN R TO HDG 090 DEGS (WE WERE ORIGINALLY HDG 345 DEGS), AND RPT LEVEL AT 14000 FT. WE LEVELED AT 14000 FT WHILE CAPT WAS TURNING THROUGH 355 DEG HDG AND RPTED LEVEL. ZID THEN TOLD US TO TURN TO HDG 345 DEGS AND GO DIRECT BVT VOR. WE COMPLIED WITH THIS CLRNC. MINS LATER, WE WERE CLRED TO FL230, AND WERE GIVEN FREQ CHANGE. WE SWITCHED FREQS. MINS LATER, THE ZID CTLR GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL FOR POSSIBLE PLTDEV. UPON LNDG AT MSP, WE CALLED ZID. THEY SAID THEY REVIEWED TAPE AND FOUND NO VIOLATION OF ALT OR SPACING. IN FUTURE, I WOULD NOT ACCEPT CLB WHILE MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION AT NIGHT. IT'S TOO EASY TO LOSE TFC.

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.