Flight crew reports conflicting traffic departing mhtg and is instructed to fly towards high terrain...

Attributes
ACN	775115
Time
Date	200802
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mhtg.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	775115
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	775114
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Captain asked mhtg tower if there was traffic arriving from the north prior to our departure and tower stated 'negative.' we departed and tower switched us over to departure control and immediately we were told to turn right and intercept the tnt 025 degree radial because of 2 inbound traffic conflicts. The first traffic we had on TCAS and we out climbed it by approximately 1000 ft and the second aircraft did not have a transponder; hence no TCAS information. Intercepted the 025 degree radial which takes the track right into very high terrain. As the day was VFR and we could maintain visual separation with the mountain we opted for this maneuver as to not collide with the inbound traffic with no transponder. This airport has a bad habit of not informing flight crews prior to takeoff that there is close in traffic on the departure path. Having this information would greatly enhance safety and prevent possible future collisions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW REPORTS CONFLICTING TRAFFIC DEPARTING MHTG AND IS INSTRUCTED TO FLY TOWARDS HIGH TERRAIN. VISUAL TERRAIN SEPARATION IS MAINTAINED TO AVOID TRAFFIC.

Narrative: CAPT ASKED MHTG TWR IF THERE WAS TFC ARRIVING FROM THE N PRIOR TO OUR DEP AND TWR STATED 'NEGATIVE.' WE DEPARTED AND TWR SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP CTL AND IMMEDIATELY WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R AND INTERCEPT THE TNT 025 DEG RADIAL BECAUSE OF 2 INBOUND TFC CONFLICTS. THE FIRST TFC WE HAD ON TCAS AND WE OUT CLBED IT BY APPROX 1000 FT AND THE SECOND ACFT DID NOT HAVE A XPONDER; HENCE NO TCAS INFO. INTERCEPTED THE 025 DEG RADIAL WHICH TAKES THE TRACK RIGHT INTO VERY HIGH TERRAIN. AS THE DAY WAS VFR AND WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE MOUNTAIN WE OPTED FOR THIS MANEUVER AS TO NOT COLLIDE WITH THE INBOUND TFC WITH NO XPONDER. THIS ARPT HAS A BAD HABIT OF NOT INFORMING FLT CREWS PRIOR TO TKOF THAT THERE IS CLOSE IN TFC ON THE DEP PATH. HAVING THIS INFO WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE SAFETY AND PREVENT POSSIBLE FUTURE COLLISIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Flight crew reports conflicting traffic departing mhtg and is instructed to fly towards high terrain. Visual terrain separation is maintained to avoid traffic.