Flight crew of an mdt observed another aircraft on a converging course change assigned heading in response to the close proximity of the reporter's aircraft in the setting sun.

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Attributes
ACN	326090
Time
Date	199601
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : azo
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zau
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	326090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were told to maintain visual separation from an ATP air carrier Y airliner turboprop on our climb out. As we passed through their altitude, the other plane passed behind us by about a 1/2 mi. We clearly could see that his path would take him behind us (the convergent angle was shallow, approximately 30 degrees), but since he was looking straight into the setting sun in order to see us, he was not certain the maneuver was safe. The other pilot cleared to turn off his assigned heading to assure safe separation, since he was not able to adequately assess the situation due to the sun. With the sun directly behind us, we could easily see that it was safe. The other pilot expressed dissatisfaction at 'having to maneuver' around us. This is the main point: even though we could see that all was ok, we could have used even more space between us. The fact that the other pilots chose to maneuver around us demonstrates that an increased margin of safety would have been preferential. I am sorry that I caused the other pilots to be distracted from their duties to respond to what they perceived to be a threat to their safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MDT OBSERVED ANOTHER ACFT ON A CONVERGING COURSE CHANGE ASSIGNED HDG IN RESPONSE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE RPTR'S ACFT IN THE SETTING SUN.

Narrative: WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM AN ATP ACR Y AIRLINER TURBOPROP ON OUR CLBOUT. AS WE PASSED THROUGH THEIR ALT, THE OTHER PLANE PASSED BEHIND US BY ABOUT A 1/2 MI. WE CLRLY COULD SEE THAT HIS PATH WOULD TAKE HIM BEHIND US (THE CONVERGENT ANGLE WAS SHALLOW, APPROX 30 DEGS), BUT SINCE HE WAS LOOKING STRAIGHT INTO THE SETTING SUN IN ORDER TO SEE US, HE WAS NOT CERTAIN THE MANEUVER WAS SAFE. THE OTHER PLT CLRED TO TURN OFF HIS ASSIGNED HDG TO ASSURE SAFE SEPARATION, SINCE HE WAS NOT ABLE TO ADEQUATELY ASSESS THE SIT DUE TO THE SUN. WITH THE SUN DIRECTLY BEHIND US, WE COULD EASILY SEE THAT IT WAS SAFE. THE OTHER PLT EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION AT 'HAVING TO MANEUVER' AROUND US. THIS IS THE MAIN POINT: EVEN THOUGH WE COULD SEE THAT ALL WAS OK, WE COULD HAVE USED EVEN MORE SPACE BTWN US. THE FACT THAT THE OTHER PLTS CHOSE TO MANEUVER AROUND US DEMONSTRATES THAT AN INCREASED MARGIN OF SAFETY WOULD HAVE BEEN PREFERENTIAL. I AM SORRY THAT I CAUSED THE OTHER PLTS TO BE DISTRACTED FROM THEIR DUTIES TO RESPOND TO WHAT THEY PERCEIVED TO BE A THREAT TO THEIR SAFETY.

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.