Handoff to ZOA questioned because not clear of reported traffic.

Attributes
ACN	93631
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czq airport : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa tracon : fat
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11700 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	93631
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Fat departure (frequency 119.6 MHZ) called out 12 O'clock traffic at 10 mi, altitude unknown. We were then passed on to ZOA (121.25 MHZ) and ZOA advised us of traffic at 12 O'clock, 2 mi that was above 13000' MSL. Therefore, they cleared us to continue climb to 13000'. At about XA07Z we noticed an small aircraft at 12 O'clock. Our heading was 300 degrees (assigned) altitude climbing through 8500'. We made a turn to about 340 degrees. The other aircraft appeared to be an small aircraft heading about 270 degrees at about 8500' MSL. We were probably 1000' above and 1 mi from him when we passed abeam. If we would not have done anything, we estimate that we would have been 500' above him and 1/2 mi horizontal at the closest projection. The main fact to learn here is that there were 2 small aircraft's in the area. The one fat departure called out and the one ZOA knew about above 13000'. We later talked to ZOA and they said their radar coverage in that area only went down to 10000' and therefore could not pick up the first aircraft (small aircraft). They said they have had trouble with fat departure with handoffs below 10000'. We feel that we were handed off too early and fat should have stayed with us until we passed the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HANDOFF TO ZOA QUESTIONED BECAUSE NOT CLEAR OF REPORTED TRAFFIC.

Narrative: FAT DEP (FREQ 119.6 MHZ) CALLED OUT 12 O'CLOCK TFC AT 10 MI, ALT UNKNOWN. WE WERE THEN PASSED ON TO ZOA (121.25 MHZ) AND ZOA ADVISED US OF TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 2 MI THAT WAS ABOVE 13000' MSL. THEREFORE, THEY CLRED US TO CONTINUE CLB TO 13000'. AT ABOUT XA07Z WE NOTICED AN SMA AT 12 O'CLOCK. OUR HDG WAS 300 DEGS (ASSIGNED) ALT CLBING THROUGH 8500'. WE MADE A TURN TO ABOUT 340 DEGS. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO BE AN SMA HDG ABOUT 270 DEGS AT ABOUT 8500' MSL. WE WERE PROBABLY 1000' ABOVE AND 1 MI FROM HIM WHEN WE PASSED ABEAM. IF WE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE ANYTHING, WE ESTIMATE THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN 500' ABOVE HIM AND 1/2 MI HORIZ AT THE CLOSEST PROJECTION. THE MAIN FACT TO LEARN HERE IS THAT THERE WERE 2 SMA'S IN THE AREA. THE ONE FAT DEP CALLED OUT AND THE ONE ZOA KNEW ABOUT ABOVE 13000'. WE LATER TALKED TO ZOA AND THEY SAID THEIR RADAR COVERAGE IN THAT AREA ONLY WENT DOWN TO 10000' AND THEREFORE COULD NOT PICK UP THE FIRST ACFT (SMA). THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH FAT DEP WITH HDOFS BELOW 10000'. WE FEEL THAT WE WERE HANDED OFF TOO EARLY AND FAT SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH US UNTIL WE PASSED THE ACFT.

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.