Narrative:

On climb out from bwi, passing through 8500' MSL, departure control changed our cleared altitude from 13000' to 17000' MSL, told us to slow to holding speed and instructed us to turn from runway heading (280 degrees) to 360 degrees. After initiating the turn, we became aware of another jet transport at our 12 O' clock, 4-5 mi away, at our altitude, also in a right turn. As the turn progressed, it became obvious that we were closing with the other aircraft. Approximately 2/3 of the way through the turn, we rolled level. Shortly thereafter the same controller who had cleared us to 13000' MSL called out traffic to us at '12 O'clock, 2 mi, climbing to 13000'.' we continued our climb to 13500' MSL to ensure altitude sep and started a left turn. The other aircraft passed 1/4-1/2 mi off our right side just below our altitude. I believe that, had we complied with our assigned heading and altitude, we would have hit the other aircraft. As the other aircraft passed us, departure control instructed to turn left to a heading of 210 degrees. Supplemental information from acn 157461: when I questioned the clearance the controller said ZDC would not accept a handoff. The controller called out traffic at 12 O'clock, 2 mi. An air carrier large transport Y was observed at about 10 O'clock slightly below in a right climbing turn. With converging tracks and altitudes I instructed my first officer who was flying to immediately turn west behind large transport Y and continue climbing for sep. Controller was so informed. Apparently the controller in his effort to effect the handoff of at least 2 aircraft lost track of altitude readouts and became a bit frustrated in his attempt to keep all his aircraft within his space. Although the aircraft tracks were easily corrected visually I shudder to think of the situation in IMC. I don't know what the handoff difficulties were, but the clearance to reduce to hold speed, near maximum gross and in the climb was indeed unusual.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CLIMBING OFF BWI GIVEN TURN AND REDUCED SPEED, SAW ANOTHER LGT IN CLOSE PROX AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM BWI, PASSING THROUGH 8500' MSL, DEP CTL CHANGED OUR CLRED ALT FROM 13000' TO 17000' MSL, TOLD US TO SLOW TO HOLDING SPD AND INSTRUCTED US TO TURN FROM RWY HDG (280 DEGS) TO 360 DEGS. AFTER INITIATING THE TURN, WE BECAME AWARE OF ANOTHER JET TRANSPORT AT OUR 12 O' CLOCK, 4-5 MI AWAY, AT OUR ALT, ALSO IN A RIGHT TURN. AS THE TURN PROGRESSED, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE CLOSING WITH THE OTHER ACFT. APPROX 2/3 OF THE WAY THROUGH THE TURN, WE ROLLED LEVEL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE SAME CTLR WHO HAD CLRED US TO 13000' MSL CALLED OUT TFC TO US AT '12 O'CLOCK, 2 MI, CLBING TO 13000'.' WE CONTINUED OUR CLB TO 13500' MSL TO ENSURE ALT SEP AND STARTED A LEFT TURN. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED 1/4-1/2 MI OFF OUR RIGHT SIDE JUST BELOW OUR ALT. I BELIEVE THAT, HAD WE COMPLIED WITH OUR ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT, WE WOULD HAVE HIT THE OTHER ACFT. AS THE OTHER ACFT PASSED US, DEP CTL INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 210 DEGS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 157461: WHEN I QUESTIONED THE CLRNC THE CTLR SAID ZDC WOULD NOT ACCEPT A HDOF. THE CTLR CALLED OUT TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK, 2 MI. AN ACR LGT Y WAS OBSERVED AT ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK SLIGHTLY BELOW IN A RIGHT CLBING TURN. WITH CONVERGING TRACKS AND ALTS I INSTRUCTED MY F/O WHO WAS FLYING TO IMMEDIATELY TURN W BEHIND LGT Y AND CONTINUE CLBING FOR SEP. CTLR WAS SO INFORMED. APPARENTLY THE CTLR IN HIS EFFORT TO EFFECT THE HDOF OF AT LEAST 2 ACFT LOST TRACK OF ALT READOUTS AND BECAME A BIT FRUSTRATED IN HIS ATTEMPT TO KEEP ALL HIS ACFT WITHIN HIS SPACE. ALTHOUGH THE ACFT TRACKS WERE EASILY CORRECTED VISUALLY I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE SITUATION IN IMC. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HDOF DIFFICULTIES WERE, BUT THE CLRNC TO REDUCE TO HOLD SPD, NEAR MAX GROSS AND IN THE CLB WAS INDEED UNUSUAL.

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.