Narrative:

Upon initial climb out from den stapleton airport, we experienced a pressurization problem so we received clearance to level at 10000' MSL. ATC then cleared us to intercept J17 (155 degrees right den VOR) on a 170 degree heading. Then, a 260 degree heading was given. Before the turn to 260 degrees was completed we were cleared to maintain present heading and 'expect on course leaving 13000 and cleared to FL200.' we stopped the turn and rolled out on a 210 degree heading. ATC came back with, 'large transport X, your heading should be 260 degrees.' so we commenced the right hand turn to 260 degrees, and climbing through 11700' MSL ATC called traffic '1-2 O'clock, less than a mile, wbound, 12000'.' we saw the single engine small aircraft Y immediately and turned left for evasive action. Supplemental information from acn 87218: at the time we had departed den TCA to the south and had just climbed above the ceiling of the TCA and were being vectored to intercept the arwy southbound. Recommend implementation of program to identify VFR traffic in high density area. Recommend strong crew coordination so one crew member has positive responsibility for see and avoid/fly airplane while other crew members work on problem. Very important at low altitudes. Supplemental information from acn 87220: ATC advised us we could remain at 10000' for only another 7 mi. They then assigned a heading of 260 degrees. The pressurization problem was solved and we requested a climb. ATC then told us to hold our heading. We were in the right turn and rolled out on heading 210 degrees. One min later ATC asked us what our heading was and informed us our assigned heading was 260 degrees. We continued the turn to 260 degrees and once on that heading were given a climb to FL200. Passing 11700' MSL ATC issued a VFR traffic advisory for traffic 1-2 O'clock, less than a mile at 12000', wbound. I shallowed out the climb and saw traffic at 2 O'clock between 1/2-1 mi. Traffic was a single engine pressurized small aircraft Y, tan in color. Traffic passed off our right about 100' above us. We passed the traffic before we could take action, but traffic executed evasive maneuver to the right as we passed it. Upon arrival in iah it took 1 1/2 hours to contact den TRACON. I talked to the supervisor and he recalled the incident and said the traffic popped up only seconds prior to the advisory being issued. When flight crews are at low altitudes working on problems the concept of see and avoid must be strongly adhered to. ATC needs strong support for manpwr and equipment (whatever they need), including a voluntary or mandatory program of VFR aircraft being recognized in or near close proximity of a high density traffic area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CLIMBING ON ASSIGNED HEADING GIVEN TRAFFIC ADVISORY ON SMA AND BOTH ACFT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. LGT FLT CREW DISTRACTED BY ACFT PROBLEM.

Narrative: UPON INITIAL CLBOUT FROM DEN STAPLETON ARPT, WE EXPERIENCED A PRESSURIZATION PROB SO WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO LEVEL AT 10000' MSL. ATC THEN CLRED US TO INTERCEPT J17 (155 DEGS R DEN VOR) ON A 170 DEG HDG. THEN, A 260 DEG HDG WAS GIVEN. BEFORE THE TURN TO 260 DEGS WAS COMPLETED WE WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG AND 'EXPECT ON COURSE LEAVING 13000 AND CLRED TO FL200.' WE STOPPED THE TURN AND ROLLED OUT ON A 210 DEG HDG. ATC CAME BACK WITH, 'LGT X, YOUR HDG SHOULD BE 260 DEGS.' SO WE COMMENCED THE RIGHT HAND TURN TO 260 DEGS, AND CLBING THROUGH 11700' MSL ATC CALLED TFC '1-2 O'CLOCK, LESS THAN A MILE, WBOUND, 12000'.' WE SAW THE SINGLE ENG SMA Y IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED LEFT FOR EVASIVE ACTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 87218: AT THE TIME WE HAD DEPARTED DEN TCA TO THE S AND HAD JUST CLBED ABOVE THE CEILING OF THE TCA AND WERE BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE ARWY SBND. RECOMMEND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM TO IDENT VFR TFC IN HIGH DENSITY AREA. RECOMMEND STRONG CREW COORD SO ONE CREW MEMBER HAS POSITIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SEE AND AVOID/FLY AIRPLANE WHILE OTHER CREW MEMBERS WORK ON PROB. VERY IMPORTANT AT LOW ALTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 87220: ATC ADVISED US WE COULD REMAIN AT 10000' FOR ONLY ANOTHER 7 MI. THEY THEN ASSIGNED A HDG OF 260 DEGS. THE PRESSURIZATION PROB WAS SOLVED AND WE REQUESTED A CLB. ATC THEN TOLD US TO HOLD OUR HDG. WE WERE IN THE RIGHT TURN AND ROLLED OUT ON HDG 210 DEGS. ONE MIN LATER ATC ASKED US WHAT OUR HDG WAS AND INFORMED US OUR ASSIGNED HDG WAS 260 DEGS. WE CONTINUED THE TURN TO 260 DEGS AND ONCE ON THAT HDG WERE GIVEN A CLB TO FL200. PASSING 11700' MSL ATC ISSUED A VFR TFC ADVISORY FOR TFC 1-2 O'CLOCK, LESS THAN A MILE AT 12000', WBOUND. I SHALLOWED OUT THE CLB AND SAW TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK BTWN 1/2-1 MI. TFC WAS A SINGLE ENG PRESSURIZED SMA Y, TAN IN COLOR. TFC PASSED OFF OUR RIGHT ABOUT 100' ABOVE US. WE PASSED THE TFC BEFORE WE COULD TAKE ACTION, BUT TFC EXECUTED EVASIVE MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT AS WE PASSED IT. UPON ARR IN IAH IT TOOK 1 1/2 HRS TO CONTACT DEN TRACON. I TALKED TO THE SUPVR AND HE RECALLED THE INCIDENT AND SAID THE TFC POPPED UP ONLY SECS PRIOR TO THE ADVISORY BEING ISSUED. WHEN FLT CREWS ARE AT LOW ALTS WORKING ON PROBS THE CONCEPT OF SEE AND AVOID MUST BE STRONGLY ADHERED TO. ATC NEEDS STRONG SUPPORT FOR MANPWR AND EQUIP (WHATEVER THEY NEED), INCLUDING A VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY PROGRAM OF VFR ACFT BEING RECOGNIZED IN OR NEAR CLOSE PROX OF A HIGH DENSITY TFC AREA.

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