Narrative:

The situation involved a relatively 'close' encounter or 'near midair collision' between 2 jet aircraft just south of pvd, ri, from where the DC8 had taken off. The gulfstream was apparently established in cruise at 16000 ft while the DC8 was climbing at 2000 FPM. The climb was to pass through 16000 ft. Few xmissions were heard over the assigned frequency, but the controller asked the DC8 to maintain visual separation during the climb. The gulfstream was first sighted on TCASII, then found some 10+ mi at 9 O'clock position. We continued climb at 2000 FPM as the controller asked us to, but the captain reluctantly responded 'we will maintain visual if we are parallel.' having inadequate knowledge of the other aircraft's intentions (previous clrncs), ongoing position (3-DIMENSIONALLY), it was difficult at best to prevent a near miss and continue climb, as was realized at the RA (of the TCASII) to which we initiated a maneuver to avoid traffic. Note: the captain acknowledges that we should not have accepted (even with stated limitations) the request, but why ask 2 jet aircraft at such high velocity to attempt such a thing? It is difficult enough in an established, coordination traffic pattern.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 FLT CREW CLBING WITH ZBW EXPERIENCED TCASII RA WITH ENRTE ACFT AT 16000 FT AFTER ACCEPTING VISUAL SEPARATION RESPONSIBILITY.

Narrative: THE SIT INVOLVED A RELATIVELY 'CLOSE' ENCOUNTER OR 'NMAC' BTWN 2 JET ACFT JUST S OF PVD, RI, FROM WHERE THE DC8 HAD TAKEN OFF. THE GULFSTREAM WAS APPARENTLY ESTABLISHED IN CRUISE AT 16000 FT WHILE THE DC8 WAS CLBING AT 2000 FPM. THE CLB WAS TO PASS THROUGH 16000 FT. FEW XMISSIONS WERE HEARD OVER THE ASSIGNED FREQ, BUT THE CTLR ASKED THE DC8 TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION DURING THE CLB. THE GULFSTREAM WAS FIRST SIGHTED ON TCASII, THEN FOUND SOME 10+ MI AT 9 O'CLOCK POS. WE CONTINUED CLB AT 2000 FPM AS THE CTLR ASKED US TO, BUT THE CAPT RELUCTANTLY RESPONDED 'WE WILL MAINTAIN VISUAL IF WE ARE PARALLEL.' HAVING INADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OTHER ACFT'S INTENTIONS (PREVIOUS CLRNCS), ONGOING POS (3-DIMENSIONALLY), IT WAS DIFFICULT AT BEST TO PREVENT A NEAR MISS AND CONTINUE CLB, AS WAS REALIZED AT THE RA (OF THE TCASII) TO WHICH WE INITIATED A MANEUVER TO AVOID TFC. NOTE: THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED (EVEN WITH STATED LIMITATIONS) THE REQUEST, BUT WHY ASK 2 JET ACFT AT SUCH HIGH VELOCITY TO ATTEMPT SUCH A THING? IT IS DIFFICULT ENOUGH IN AN ESTABLISHED, COORD TFC PATTERN.

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.