Possible less than standard separation between 2 air carrier aircraft in dca TCA.

Attributes
ACN	186488
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : ind
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 23000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	186488
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing after departure runway 18 at dca, departure control gave us a 270 degree heading and clearance to climb to 17000 ft. Shortly thereafter the controller restr our climb to 5000 ft. Passing about 4500 ft the controller said to descend to 4000 ft. We had gotten to about 4700 ft when I pushed the nose over to go to 4000. The controller then called our traffic at 10 O'clock, at 5000 ft and climbing and for us to maintain visual on that traffic. We did not see the traffic at that time and said so, however, we did see the medium large transport, our traffic, just a short time later. This was obviously a separation problem that the controller tried to solve by telling us to maintain visual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE LTSS BTWN 2 ACR ACFT IN DCA TCA.

Narrative: CLBING AFTER DEP RWY 18 AT DCA, DEP CTL GAVE US A 270 DEG HDG AND CLRNC TO CLB TO 17000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CTLR RESTR OUR CLB TO 5000 FT. PASSING ABOUT 4500 FT THE CTLR SAID TO DSND TO 4000 FT. WE HAD GOTTEN TO ABOUT 4700 FT WHEN I PUSHED THE NOSE OVER TO GO TO 4000. THE CTLR THEN CALLED OUR TFC AT 10 O'CLOCK, AT 5000 FT AND CLBING AND FOR US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL ON THAT TFC. WE DID NOT SEE THE TFC AT THAT TIME AND SAID SO, HOWEVER, WE DID SEE THE MLG, OUR TFC, JUST A SHORT TIME LATER. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A SEPARATION PROBLEM THAT THE CTLR TRIED TO SOLVE BY TELLING US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL.

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.