Narrative:

On aug/mon/01, I was captain of air carrier flight xyz. During climb out at approximately XA18 as we were passing 4500 ft, 200 degree heading, approximately 15 NM southwest of sna, outside class B airspace, ATC informed us of traffic at 1 O'clock position, 3 mi, moving right to left, altitude unknown. Another call, traffic at 1 O'clock position, 1 mi altitude unknown. We looked again and saw that we were on a collision course with a piper cherokee or arrow. By this time we were passing 5000 ft with no TCASII indication. We nosed over and missed the other aircraft by less than 200 ft. At the end of the pushover maneuver we had descended to 4500 ft with 300 KTS. Recovered to normal climb was made without further incident. No passenger or crew were affected. I informed the controller of the near miss and continued to destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW DEPARTING SNA HAD AN NMAC WITH A SMALL ACFT.

Narrative: ON AUG/MON/01, I WAS CAPT OF ACR FLT XYZ. DURING CLBOUT AT APPROX XA18 AS WE WERE PASSING 4500 FT, 200 DEG HDG, APPROX 15 NM SW OF SNA, OUTSIDE CLASS B AIRSPACE, ATC INFORMED US OF TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS, 3 MI, MOVING R TO L, ALT UNKNOWN. ANOTHER CALL, TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK POS, 1 MI ALT UNKNOWN. WE LOOKED AGAIN AND SAW THAT WE WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH A PIPER CHEROKEE OR ARROW. BY THIS TIME WE WERE PASSING 5000 FT WITH NO TCASII INDICATION. WE NOSED OVER AND MISSED THE OTHER ACFT BY LESS THAN 200 FT. AT THE END OF THE PUSHOVER MANEUVER WE HAD DSNDED TO 4500 FT WITH 300 KTS. RECOVERED TO NORMAL CLB WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. NO PAX OR CREW WERE AFFECTED. I INFORMED THE CTLR OF THE NEAR MISS AND CONTINUED TO DEST.

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.