Close proximity car-medium large transport air carrier-large transport climbing out of iad.

Attributes
ACN	188960
Time
Date	199109
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : bmi
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 airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	188960
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 750
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

First officer flying, runway heading, level at 10000 ft MSL, 250 KTS, assigned. Washington center said we had traffic 2 O'clock (I don't know mi), an large transport climbing out of 10500 ft. First officer spotted traffic that fit that description. I told center traffic in sight. We were cleared to 'maintain visual' on that traffic, climb to and maintain FL210. We commenced climb. At about 10500 ft a second large transport crossed left to right same direction 500- 1000 ft above and 1/4 mi ahead. I told center we had spotted 2 O'clock traffic but not the 10 O'clock traffic. It was not truly a near miss, but it had the potential. Human error of 2 O'clock versus 10 O'clock with coincidental 2 O'clock traffic set up potential disaster. I recommend no VFR climbs. I also recommend that pilots always look at the 'other 2 O'clock.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX CAR-MLG ACR-LGT CLBING OUT OF IAD.

Narrative: FO FLYING, RWY HDG, LEVEL AT 10000 FT MSL, 250 KTS, ASSIGNED. WASHINGTON CENTER SAID WE HAD TFC 2 O'CLOCK (I DON'T KNOW MI), AN LGT CLBING OUT OF 10500 FT. FO SPOTTED TFC THAT FIT THAT DESCRIPTION. I TOLD CENTER TFC IN SIGHT. WE WERE CLRED TO 'MAINTAIN VISUAL' ON THAT TFC, CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL210. WE COMMENCED CLB. AT ABOUT 10500 FT A SECOND LGT CROSSED L TO R SAME DIRECTION 500- 1000 FT ABOVE AND 1/4 MI AHEAD. I TOLD CENTER WE HAD SPOTTED 2 O'CLOCK TFC BUT NOT THE 10 O'CLOCK TFC. IT WAS NOT TRULY A NEAR MISS, BUT IT HAD THE POTENTIAL. HUMAN ERROR OF 2 O'CLOCK VERSUS 10 O'CLOCK WITH COINCIDENTAL 2 O'CLOCK TFC SET UP POTENTIAL DISASTER. I RECOMMEND NO VFR CLBS. I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT PLTS ALWAYS LOOK AT THE 'OTHER 2 O'CLOCK.'

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.