Narrative:

Thunderstorms and cumulonimbus all quadrants. Broken clouds. Visibility about 5 mi. We were level at 7000 ft MSL on a 270 degree assigned heading. ATC was very busy on the radios. We had departed runway 18R and were mentally keeping track of the 2 or 3 airplanes that had departed prior to us. Unexpectedly, the captain (first officer was flying) noted traffic co-altitude on TCASII, at our 10 O'clock position. Without a visual, the captain asked departure control about it. As soon as he unkeyed his microphone, ATC gave us (so we thought) climb clearance to 16000 ft. I started a very gentle climb, looking outside a lot as TCASII showed at least 2 aircraft close to us. Almost immediately, there were more radio calls along with a 'traffic traffic' advisory from TCASII, followed by 'monitor vertical speed.' at this time, the captain obtained a visual and bumped the control column forward. TCASII showed clear below us, and I pushed over, about 1/2 'G's,' and also got visual contact. ATC told the other aircraft to climb to 16000 ft and us to maintain 7000 ft. We had topped out at about 7200 ft, I estimate about 800 ft below the rj, which was heading about 020 degrees. Apparently, the rj had departed runway 18L and had been vectored to the southwest before being allowed to turn back to the northeast and climb. His position and closure rate surprised us. Obviously, there had been a communication breakdown for a short period of time. It was quickly resolved, but still created a problem. TCASII, though initial indications were not clear, was very helpful in the resolution. ATC may have misused our call sign, or we heard wrong and/or stepped on ATC. Less talking, slower talking, and better listening would have helped, but I think ATC and WX overloaded the controller. Supplemental information from acn 620370: departure answered the rj that clearance was for him to 16000 ft, air carrier X (us) maintain 7000 ft. Both first officer and I really thought we heard our call sign given the climb clearance. Departure never mentioned a problem with this event. Despite the 'apparent' mishearing of a call sign, good CRM and situational awareness ensured we didn't have a midair. My first officer began a slow maneuver instead of an abrupt one that probably would have gotten us right up there with the other traffic. Usually at our departure airport, the wbounds use the west runway, east and nne the east runway with turnouts to the east. Heavy rain and lightning to the east however forced departure to have all aircraft turn west after takeoff. This might have overloaded the controller.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN A CLBING A300-600 AND A NEAR OPPOSITE DIRECTION CRJ AT 8000 FT, 10 MI W OF MEM, TN.

Narrative: TSTMS AND CUMULONIMBUS ALL QUADRANTS. BROKEN CLOUDS. VISIBILITY ABOUT 5 MI. WE WERE LEVEL AT 7000 FT MSL ON A 270 DEG ASSIGNED HDG. ATC WAS VERY BUSY ON THE RADIOS. WE HAD DEPARTED RWY 18R AND WERE MENTALLY KEEPING TRACK OF THE 2 OR 3 AIRPLANES THAT HAD DEPARTED PRIOR TO US. UNEXPECTEDLY, THE CAPT (FO WAS FLYING) NOTED TFC CO-ALT ON TCASII, AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS. WITHOUT A VISUAL, THE CAPT ASKED DEP CTL ABOUT IT. AS SOON AS HE UNKEYED HIS MIKE, ATC GAVE US (SO WE THOUGHT) CLB CLRNC TO 16000 FT. I STARTED A VERY GENTLE CLB, LOOKING OUTSIDE A LOT AS TCASII SHOWED AT LEAST 2 ACFT CLOSE TO US. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THERE WERE MORE RADIO CALLS ALONG WITH A 'TFC TFC' ADVISORY FROM TCASII, FOLLOWED BY 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' AT THIS TIME, THE CAPT OBTAINED A VISUAL AND BUMPED THE CTL COLUMN FORWARD. TCASII SHOWED CLR BELOW US, AND I PUSHED OVER, ABOUT 1/2 'G'S,' AND ALSO GOT VISUAL CONTACT. ATC TOLD THE OTHER ACFT TO CLB TO 16000 FT AND US TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT. WE HAD TOPPED OUT AT ABOUT 7200 FT, I ESTIMATE ABOUT 800 FT BELOW THE RJ, WHICH WAS HDG ABOUT 020 DEGS. APPARENTLY, THE RJ HAD DEPARTED RWY 18L AND HAD BEEN VECTORED TO THE SW BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO TURN BACK TO THE NE AND CLB. HIS POS AND CLOSURE RATE SURPRISED US. OBVIOUSLY, THERE HAD BEEN A COM BREAKDOWN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT WAS QUICKLY RESOLVED, BUT STILL CREATED A PROB. TCASII, THOUGH INITIAL INDICATIONS WERE NOT CLR, WAS VERY HELPFUL IN THE RESOLUTION. ATC MAY HAVE MISUSED OUR CALL SIGN, OR WE HEARD WRONG AND/OR STEPPED ON ATC. LESS TALKING, SLOWER TALKING, AND BETTER LISTENING WOULD HAVE HELPED, BUT I THINK ATC AND WX OVERLOADED THE CTLR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 620370: DEP ANSWERED THE RJ THAT CLRNC WAS FOR HIM TO 16000 FT, ACR X (US) MAINTAIN 7000 FT. BOTH FO AND I REALLY THOUGHT WE HEARD OUR CALL SIGN GIVEN THE CLB CLRNC. DEP NEVER MENTIONED A PROB WITH THIS EVENT. DESPITE THE 'APPARENT' MISHEARING OF A CALL SIGN, GOOD CRM AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ENSURED WE DIDN'T HAVE A MIDAIR. MY FO BEGAN A SLOW MANEUVER INSTEAD OF AN ABRUPT ONE THAT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN US RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE OTHER TFC. USUALLY AT OUR DEP ARPT, THE WBOUNDS USE THE W RWY, E AND NNE THE E RWY WITH TURNOUTS TO THE E. HVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING TO THE E HOWEVER FORCED DEP TO HAVE ALL ACFT TURN W AFTER TKOF. THIS MIGHT HAVE OVERLOADED THE CTLR.

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.