Narrative:

Burbank clearance gave us 'van nuys 6 departure, climb and maintain 13,000.' at end of runway 15, ready for departure, burbank tower said, 'air carrier X change your departure, climb and maintain 3000, taxi into position and hold.' I acknowledged the new altitude and the position and hold clearance and asked, 'where is the traffic we should be looking for after takeoff?' the controller answered, 'southwest of the airport at 4000', departure will tell you about it.' our departure SID, van nuys 6, called for a right turn to 210 degree after takeoff. We took off and were handed over to departure while in the climb to 3000'. Just prior to reaching 3000' departure gave us a right turn to 320 degree and climb clearance to 13,000'. While turning through 300 degree and at 4000', I saw an small aircraft directly in front of us at the same altitude in level flight headed right at us. The following events happened almost simultaneously: I put my hands on the control wheel, told the copilot to tighten the turn right up, I believe I heard the controller say, 'air carrier X, collision alert, immediate right turn to 360 degree', and I saw the small aircraft bank in the opposite direction before he passed out of view. I called the facility after the flight and asked why we were turned toward and climbed through the altitude of known traffic that we discussed prior to takeoff and for whom our original altitude had already been amended to 3000' in order to avoid. The supervisor said that the known 4000' traffic that we almost hit was a popup target! In the same location and altitude? What a coincidence!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO ANOTHER AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: BURBANK CLRNC GAVE US 'VAN NUYS 6 DEP, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 13,000.' AT END OF RWY 15, READY FOR DEP, BURBANK TWR SAID, 'ACR X CHANGE YOUR DEP, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 3000, TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD.' I ACKNOWLEDGED THE NEW ALT AND THE POSITION AND HOLD CLRNC AND ASKED, 'WHERE IS THE TFC WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR AFTER TKOF?' THE CTLR ANSWERED, 'SW OF THE ARPT AT 4000', DEP WILL TELL YOU ABOUT IT.' OUR DEP SID, VAN NUYS 6, CALLED FOR A RIGHT TURN TO 210 DEG AFTER TKOF. WE TOOK OFF AND WERE HANDED OVER TO DEP WHILE IN THE CLIMB TO 3000'. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING 3000' DEP GAVE US A RIGHT TURN TO 320 DEG AND CLIMB CLRNC TO 13,000'. WHILE TURNING THROUGH 300 DEG AND AT 4000', I SAW AN SMA DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US AT THE SAME ALT IN LEVEL FLT HEADED RIGHT AT US. THE FOLLOWING EVENTS HAPPENED ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY: I PUT MY HANDS ON THE CONTROL WHEEL, TOLD THE COPLT TO TIGHTEN THE TURN RIGHT UP, I BELIEVE I HEARD THE CTLR SAY, 'ACR X, COLLISION ALERT, IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN TO 360 DEG', AND I SAW THE SMA BANK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BEFORE HE PASSED OUT OF VIEW. I CALLED THE FAC AFTER THE FLT AND ASKED WHY WE WERE TURNED TOWARD AND CLIMBED THROUGH THE ALT OF KNOWN TFC THAT WE DISCUSSED PRIOR TO TKOF AND FOR WHOM OUR ORIGINAL ALT HAD ALREADY BEEN AMENDED TO 3000' IN ORDER TO AVOID. THE SUPVR SAID THAT THE KNOWN 4000' TFC THAT WE ALMOST HIT WAS A POPUP TARGET! IN THE SAME LOCATION AND ALT? WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

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