Narrative:

We were cleared on a FROGO6 fra transition up to 9000 ft. WX was clear skies and unlimited visibility using runway 34R. We were cleared for takeoff (with no amended altitude and no notice of an aircraft at 4500 ft on our departure routing). Passing 1500 ft I (as the PF) started the right turn to 140 degrees and we were switched to departure. On the departure frequency; the controller was busy talking to what sounded like a small aircraft that was not where it was supposed to be. Just as I was finishing the turn to 140 degrees; we were passing through 3000 ft; so I slightly lowered the nose to accelerate to 250 KTS. Right then we received a TA ('traffic;' orange symbol) right of our nose slightly and about 1000 ft higher than us and about 2-3 mi away. I looked in that direction and immediately saw a low-wing small; propeller airplane that was on a collision course with us. I immediately and aggressively maneuvered the airplane to a level to slightly nose low attitude to avoid what I perceived to be an impending midair; with no communication to the pm or any direction from the TCAS system. About the time I was in level flight to slightly nose low; the TCAS system gave the aural warning 'monitor vertical speed.' I glanced back in the cockpit to see what the vsi indications were and the captain (pm) said; 'you're good; in the green.' at that time I noticed we were in the middle of the green band at about 500 FPM rate of descent; passing back down through about 4000 ft (the top altitude I recall seeing was about 4200 ft). At about 3850 ft; the controller said; in a harried voice; 'company number; maintain 4000 ft.' that was the first radio call I heard to us from the controller who had been constantly talking with a different airplane up until that point. At about that moment; the VFR aircraft passed about 500-600 ft directly overhead. Shortly after that; the controller cleared us direct frogo; climb to 9000 ft; and switched us to the next frequency. Tower and departure needed to amend our takeoff altitude clearance before we were even cleared for takeoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW RESPONDED TO A TCAS TA ON THE SMF FROGO SIX SID BEFORE TRACON CALLED THE TRAFFIC AS A CONFLICT. THE TRAFFIC PASSED OVERHEAD BTWN 500-600 FT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED ON A FROGO6 FRA TRANSITION UP TO 9000 FT. WX WAS CLR SKIES AND UNLIMITED VISIBILITY USING RWY 34R. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF (WITH NO AMENDED ALT AND NO NOTICE OF AN ACFT AT 4500 FT ON OUR DEP ROUTING). PASSING 1500 FT I (AS THE PF) STARTED THE R TURN TO 140 DEGS AND WE WERE SWITCHED TO DEP. ON THE DEP FREQ; THE CTLR WAS BUSY TALKING TO WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A SMALL ACFT THAT WAS NOT WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. JUST AS I WAS FINISHING THE TURN TO 140 DEGS; WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 3000 FT; SO I SLIGHTLY LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE TO 250 KTS. RIGHT THEN WE RECEIVED A TA ('TFC;' ORANGE SYMBOL) R OF OUR NOSE SLIGHTLY AND ABOUT 1000 FT HIGHER THAN US AND ABOUT 2-3 MI AWAY. I LOOKED IN THAT DIRECTION AND IMMEDIATELY SAW A LOW-WING SMALL; PROP AIRPLANE THAT WAS ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH US. I IMMEDIATELY AND AGGRESSIVELY MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO A LEVEL TO SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW ATTITUDE TO AVOID WHAT I PERCEIVED TO BE AN IMPENDING MIDAIR; WITH NO COM TO THE PM OR ANY DIRECTION FROM THE TCAS SYS. ABOUT THE TIME I WAS IN LEVEL FLT TO SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW; THE TCAS SYS GAVE THE AURAL WARNING 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' I GLANCED BACK IN THE COCKPIT TO SEE WHAT THE VSI INDICATIONS WERE AND THE CAPT (PM) SAID; 'YOU'RE GOOD; IN THE GREEN.' AT THAT TIME I NOTICED WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREEN BAND AT ABOUT 500 FPM RATE OF DSCNT; PASSING BACK DOWN THROUGH ABOUT 4000 FT (THE TOP ALT I RECALL SEEING WAS ABOUT 4200 FT). AT ABOUT 3850 FT; THE CTLR SAID; IN A HARRIED VOICE; 'COMPANY NUMBER; MAINTAIN 4000 FT.' THAT WAS THE FIRST RADIO CALL I HEARD TO US FROM THE CTLR WHO HAD BEEN CONSTANTLY TALKING WITH A DIFFERENT AIRPLANE UP UNTIL THAT POINT. AT ABOUT THAT MOMENT; THE VFR ACFT PASSED ABOUT 500-600 FT DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. SHORTLY AFTER THAT; THE CTLR CLRED US DIRECT FROGO; CLB TO 9000 FT; AND SWITCHED US TO THE NEXT FREQ. TWR AND DEP NEEDED TO AMEND OUR TKOF ALT CLRNC BEFORE WE WERE EVEN CLRED FOR TKOF.

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.