Pilot took evasive action to avoid another aircraft that departed ahead of his aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	149897
Time
Date	199007
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bna
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 10950 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	149897
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

We were on runway 2L holding for takeoff clearance. Tower released an aircraft on runway 2C. That aircraft departed to the west. Tower asked if we had an small aircraft that had departed prior to the westbound departure in sight. We replied negative. Tower advised that he would point out the traffic after we were airborne, then released us for takeoff. At approximately 1500' AGL tower called out traffic 2-3 mi at our 1:30 position. We replied, 'no joy.' traffic was sighted at our 11:30 high as we were coming up on 2500' MSL. We turned to remain well clear. Had we not finally picked up the traffic precisely when we did we would have missed the small aircraft by the smallest margin. A midair potential was there. Both the small aircraft and us were with tower, following tower's instructions to maintain runway heading, and where we were supposed to be--yet it wasn't right. Performing the required cockpit duties during the takeoff phase and assuming the tower would keep us clear set us up because our closure rate left little room for error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT THAT DEPARTED AHEAD OF HIS ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON RWY 2L HOLDING FOR TKOF CLRNC. TWR RELEASED AN ACFT ON RWY 2C. THAT ACFT DEPARTED TO THE W. TWR ASKED IF WE HAD AN SMA THAT HAD DEPARTED PRIOR TO THE WBND DEP IN SIGHT. WE REPLIED NEGATIVE. TWR ADVISED THAT HE WOULD POINT OUT THE TFC AFTER WE WERE AIRBORNE, THEN RELEASED US FOR TKOF. AT APPROX 1500' AGL TWR CALLED OUT TFC 2-3 MI AT OUR 1:30 POS. WE REPLIED, 'NO JOY.' TFC WAS SIGHTED AT OUR 11:30 HIGH AS WE WERE COMING UP ON 2500' MSL. WE TURNED TO REMAIN WELL CLR. HAD WE NOT FINALLY PICKED UP THE TFC PRECISELY WHEN WE DID WE WOULD HAVE MISSED THE SMA BY THE SMALLEST MARGIN. A MIDAIR POTENTIAL WAS THERE. BOTH THE SMA AND US WERE WITH TWR, FOLLOWING TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO MAINTAIN RWY HDG, AND WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE--YET IT WASN'T RIGHT. PERFORMING THE REQUIRED COCKPIT DUTIES DURING THE TKOF PHASE AND ASSUMING THE TWR WOULD KEEP US CLR SET US UP BECAUSE OUR CLOSURE RATE LEFT LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR.

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.