Close proximity air carrier-medium large transport GA-small transport 40 NM northeast of rod VOR.

Attributes
ACN	128049
Time
Date	198911
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rod
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 17500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : ito
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	128049
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cle-ind. After departure vectored well off course for business jet. Cleared direct rod and climb to 17000' (filed altitude 26000'). Controller said further climb clearing VFR traffic opp direction, 12 O'clock, VFR, 7500'. First officer was flying. We both maintained active scan. Traffic called at 11 O'clock. I asked for vector away from traffic. Controller said a turn of 290 degrees would be required (direct heading was 250 degrees). He had been following target for 20 mi at 17500' and he intimated no conflict. I stressed my concern and asked if the target altitude was verified and if the target was talking to the controller. The controller said 'no.' at this time an small transport passed over the cockpit with a vertical sep estimated at 200'. We could hear the propeller noise of the small transport. We had no time to evade. I doubt he ever saw us. The controller was cooperative and I believe his biggest interest was keeping us on course. My own personal rule has been to insist on a vector away from an unverified target not in sight. I will demand a separating vector when similar incidents occur in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMT 40 NM NE OF ROD VOR.

Narrative: CLE-IND. AFTER DEP VECTORED WELL OFF COURSE FOR BUSINESS JET. CLRED DIRECT ROD AND CLB TO 17000' (FILED ALT 26000'). CTLR SAID FURTHER CLB CLRING VFR TFC OPP DIRECTION, 12 O'CLOCK, VFR, 7500'. F/O WAS FLYING. WE BOTH MAINTAINED ACTIVE SCAN. TFC CALLED AT 11 O'CLOCK. I ASKED FOR VECTOR AWAY FROM TFC. CTLR SAID A TURN OF 290 DEGS WOULD BE REQUIRED (DIRECT HDG WAS 250 DEGS). HE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING TARGET FOR 20 MI AT 17500' AND HE INTIMATED NO CONFLICT. I STRESSED MY CONCERN AND ASKED IF THE TARGET ALT WAS VERIFIED AND IF THE TARGET WAS TALKING TO THE CTLR. THE CTLR SAID 'NO.' AT THIS TIME AN SMT PASSED OVER THE COCKPIT WITH A VERT SEP ESTIMATED AT 200'. WE COULD HEAR THE PROP NOISE OF THE SMT. WE HAD NO TIME TO EVADE. I DOUBT HE EVER SAW US. THE CTLR WAS COOPERATIVE AND I BELIEVE HIS BIGGEST INTEREST WAS KEEPING US ON COURSE. MY OWN PERSONAL RULE HAS BEEN TO INSIST ON A VECTOR AWAY FROM AN UNVERIFIED TARGET NOT IN SIGHT. I WILL DEMAND A SEPARATING VECTOR WHEN SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.

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.