Narrative:

I had just departed runway 28 at truckee and had announced on CTAF that we were on the published VFR 'bypass' departure and was approaching donner lake from the east. Just about then; I picked up a target on the TCAS at the 6 mi range at 12 O'clock and approaching rapidly. The numbers were getting smaller very quickly and I decided to level off immediately and acquire the traffic. Seconds later he was in the 2 mi range. I acquired the traffic but he obviously had not seen me and I had to turn to the right to give him more distance to avoid him. It was an A36 and he was close enough to read his n-number. He was not on CTAF or ZOA as I had both frequencys up and was talking on CTAF. He passed off my left wing about 50 ft above me and 200 ft away. One of the things that came to mind during this whole event was that TCAS is a remarkable asset to have and if it was not there I would not have known it until he was very close. The TCAS gave me about 30 seconds of 'extra' time that I would not have had otherwise. I figure the closure speed was about 320 KTS as I was climbing at 140 and bonanzas do about 180 in the descent. I think the FAA should mandate TCAS in the same fashion that taws was mandated 2 yrs ago. Personally; I always know where the dirt is; but can't always see the little speck coming at me at 300+ KTS closure speed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C90 DEPARTING TRK VFR GOT A TCAS ALERT ON AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION B36 THAT PASSED WITHIN 200 FT HORIZ AND 50 FT VERT. THE B36 WAS APPARENTLY NOT TALKING WITH ANYONE.

Narrative: I HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 28 AT TRUCKEE AND HAD ANNOUNCED ON CTAF THAT WE WERE ON THE PUBLISHED VFR 'BYPASS' DEP AND WAS APCHING DONNER LAKE FROM THE E. JUST ABOUT THEN; I PICKED UP A TARGET ON THE TCAS AT THE 6 MI RANGE AT 12 O'CLOCK AND APCHING RAPIDLY. THE NUMBERS WERE GETTING SMALLER VERY QUICKLY AND I DECIDED TO LEVEL OFF IMMEDIATELY AND ACQUIRE THE TFC. SECONDS LATER HE WAS IN THE 2 MI RANGE. I ACQUIRED THE TFC BUT HE OBVIOUSLY HAD NOT SEEN ME AND I HAD TO TURN TO THE R TO GIVE HIM MORE DISTANCE TO AVOID HIM. IT WAS AN A36 AND HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO READ HIS N-NUMBER. HE WAS NOT ON CTAF OR ZOA AS I HAD BOTH FREQS UP AND WAS TALKING ON CTAF. HE PASSED OFF MY L WING ABOUT 50 FT ABOVE ME AND 200 FT AWAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND DURING THIS WHOLE EVENT WAS THAT TCAS IS A REMARKABLE ASSET TO HAVE AND IF IT WAS NOT THERE I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN IT UNTIL HE WAS VERY CLOSE. THE TCAS GAVE ME ABOUT 30 SECONDS OF 'EXTRA' TIME THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD OTHERWISE. I FIGURE THE CLOSURE SPD WAS ABOUT 320 KTS AS I WAS CLBING AT 140 AND BONANZAS DO ABOUT 180 IN THE DSCNT. I THINK THE FAA SHOULD MANDATE TCAS IN THE SAME FASHION THAT TAWS WAS MANDATED 2 YRS AGO. PERSONALLY; I ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THE DIRT IS; BUT CAN'T ALWAYS SEE THE LITTLE SPECK COMING AT ME AT 300+ KTS CLOSURE SPD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.