Narrative:

We were given a takeoff clearance inappropriately close behind a cessna caravan (much slower aircraft). We were on ground control frequency until ready for takeoff so we did not hear the departure heading for the cessna. I assumed it to be a greatly divergent heading. We were given a takeoff clearance to fly runway heading. There was another aircraft on final approach so we could not delay our takeoff. I saw the caravan begin a slow turn to the right so we began our takeoff. The caravan had selected the wrong code and the tower asked if they were in their turn and to squawk the correct code. I told the first officer, PF, to turn slightly left to increase our miss distance. I watched the caravan on TCASII to insure lateral clearance. We passed them on their left side in our climb. We passed co-altitude as we out- climbed them at what I would estimate at less than a mi. We were both IMC. As a former military interceptor pilot, I've done this a lot before, but this is inappropriate separation for acrs. Pit ATC seems to play fast and loose with the rules and I feel it puts people at risk. The previous evening arriving at pit, the controller told us to make a visual approach when we didn't see the airport. The pilot is the one who initiates the visual approach. Pit ATC is bad news!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR LTSS WHEN APPROPRIATE SEPARATION IS LOST BTWN A DEPARTING DC9 AND A PRECEDING C208 DEP. RPTR STATED BOTH ACFT WERE IMC WHEN THE DC9 PASSED TO L OF THE C208.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A TKOF CLRNC INAPPROPRIATELY CLOSE BEHIND A CESSNA CARAVAN (MUCH SLOWER ACFT). WE WERE ON GND CTL FREQ UNTIL READY FOR TKOF SO WE DID NOT HEAR THE DEP HDG FOR THE CESSNA. I ASSUMED IT TO BE A GREATLY DIVERGENT HDG. WE WERE GIVEN A TKOF CLRNC TO FLY RWY HDG. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON FINAL APCH SO WE COULD NOT DELAY OUR TKOF. I SAW THE CARAVAN BEGIN A SLOW TURN TO THE R SO WE BEGAN OUR TKOF. THE CARAVAN HAD SELECTED THE WRONG CODE AND THE TWR ASKED IF THEY WERE IN THEIR TURN AND TO SQUAWK THE CORRECT CODE. I TOLD THE FO, PF, TO TURN SLIGHTLY L TO INCREASE OUR MISS DISTANCE. I WATCHED THE CARAVAN ON TCASII TO INSURE LATERAL CLRNC. WE PASSED THEM ON THEIR L SIDE IN OUR CLB. WE PASSED CO-ALT AS WE OUT- CLBED THEM AT WHAT I WOULD ESTIMATE AT LESS THAN A MI. WE WERE BOTH IMC. AS A FORMER MIL INTERCEPTOR PLT, I'VE DONE THIS A LOT BEFORE, BUT THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE SEPARATION FOR ACRS. PIT ATC SEEMS TO PLAY FAST AND LOOSE WITH THE RULES AND I FEEL IT PUTS PEOPLE AT RISK. THE PREVIOUS EVENING ARRIVING AT PIT, THE CTLR TOLD US TO MAKE A VISUAL APCH WHEN WE DIDN'T SEE THE ARPT. THE PLT IS THE ONE WHO INITIATES THE VISUAL APCH. PIT ATC IS BAD NEWS!

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.