Narrative:

During climbout out of concord airport, ca, travis approach told us to level 3000 because of traffic at 4000. He did not call the traffic under us at about 2500 going off under our wing. It was at night which makes things seem a little closer so we pulled up to about 3150-3200 to keep the traffic under us clear. Travis approach questioned our altitude and we told him we were leveling back to 3000 because of traffic below us. He said he only reported traffic above us. We told him it did not feel comfortable being between 2 aircraft that close and should have been given a turn clear. We felt it was ok to deviate a little to keep us clear of any traffic if we were 100-200' off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLT CREW IMPROVISES NEW ALT DUE THEIR PERCEPTION THAT THEY ARE THE MEAT IN AN AIRPLANE SANDWICH.

Narrative: DURING CLIMBOUT OUT OF CONCORD ARPT, CA, TRAVIS APCH TOLD US TO LEVEL 3000 BECAUSE OF TFC AT 4000. HE DID NOT CALL THE TFC UNDER US AT ABOUT 2500 GOING OFF UNDER OUR WING. IT WAS AT NIGHT WHICH MAKES THINGS SEEM A LITTLE CLOSER SO WE PULLED UP TO ABOUT 3150-3200 TO KEEP THE TFC UNDER US CLEAR. TRAVIS APCH QUESTIONED OUR ALT AND WE TOLD HIM WE WERE LEVELING BACK TO 3000 BECAUSE OF TFC BELOW US. HE SAID HE ONLY REPORTED TFC ABOVE US. WE TOLD HIM IT DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE BEING BETWEEN 2 ACFT THAT CLOSE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN A TURN CLEAR. WE FELT IT WAS OK TO DEVIATE A LITTLE TO KEEP US CLEAR OF ANY TFC IF WE WERE 100-200' OFF.

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.