Narrative:

Captain asked mhtg tower if there was traffic arriving from the north prior to our departure and tower stated 'negative.' we departed and tower switched us over to departure control and immediately we were told to turn right and intercept the tnt 025 degree radial because of 2 inbound traffic conflicts. The first traffic we had on TCAS and we out climbed it by approximately 1000 ft and the second aircraft did not have a transponder; hence no TCAS information. Intercepted the 025 degree radial which takes the track right into very high terrain. As the day was VFR and we could maintain visual separation with the mountain we opted for this maneuver as to not collide with the inbound traffic with no transponder. This airport has a bad habit of not informing flight crews prior to takeoff that there is close in traffic on the departure path. Having this information would greatly enhance safety and prevent possible future collisions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW REPORTS CONFLICTING TRAFFIC DEPARTING MHTG AND IS INSTRUCTED TO FLY TOWARDS HIGH TERRAIN. VISUAL TERRAIN SEPARATION IS MAINTAINED TO AVOID TRAFFIC.

Narrative: CAPT ASKED MHTG TWR IF THERE WAS TFC ARRIVING FROM THE N PRIOR TO OUR DEP AND TWR STATED 'NEGATIVE.' WE DEPARTED AND TWR SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP CTL AND IMMEDIATELY WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R AND INTERCEPT THE TNT 025 DEG RADIAL BECAUSE OF 2 INBOUND TFC CONFLICTS. THE FIRST TFC WE HAD ON TCAS AND WE OUT CLBED IT BY APPROX 1000 FT AND THE SECOND ACFT DID NOT HAVE A XPONDER; HENCE NO TCAS INFO. INTERCEPTED THE 025 DEG RADIAL WHICH TAKES THE TRACK RIGHT INTO VERY HIGH TERRAIN. AS THE DAY WAS VFR AND WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE MOUNTAIN WE OPTED FOR THIS MANEUVER AS TO NOT COLLIDE WITH THE INBOUND TFC WITH NO XPONDER. THIS ARPT HAS A BAD HABIT OF NOT INFORMING FLT CREWS PRIOR TO TKOF THAT THERE IS CLOSE IN TFC ON THE DEP PATH. HAVING THIS INFO WOULD GREATLY ENHANCE SAFETY AND PREVENT POSSIBLE FUTURE COLLISIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.