Air carrier mdt took evasive action to avoid collision with small aircraft at 3000' in TCA.

Attributes
ACN	95562
Time
Date	198809
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3100
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 232 flight time total : 7920 flight time type : 610
ASRS Report	95562
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 75
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Our departure clearance for runway 3 usually restricts us to 2000'. Shortly after contacting departure we were cleared to 4000'. Climbing out of 3000' I turned to make a comment to my first officer (PF) and saw small aircraft Y in his side dv window heading towards us at 3000'. I pulled back on the controls to expedite our climb. Shortly thereafter we leveled at 4000', the controller asked us for our altitude. He never called any traffic to our attention at any time. It was only after we questioned the position of small aircraft Y that we were informed that it was small aircraft Y level at 3000' in his control. Later on a conversation with the tower supervisor I was told that the controller in question was experienced and small aircraft Y target had no flag. Still, if known traffic is at 3000', why were we cleared to 4000' to cross in front?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID COLLISION WITH SMA AT 3000' IN TCA.

Narrative: OUR DEP CLRNC FOR RWY 3 USUALLY RESTRICTS US TO 2000'. SHORTLY AFTER CONTACTING DEP WE WERE CLRED TO 4000'. CLBING OUT OF 3000' I TURNED TO MAKE A COMMENT TO MY F/O (PF) AND SAW SMA Y IN HIS SIDE DV WINDOW HEADING TOWARDS US AT 3000'. I PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROLS TO EXPEDITE OUR CLB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE LEVELED AT 4000', THE CTLR ASKED US FOR OUR ALT. HE NEVER CALLED ANY TFC TO OUR ATTN AT ANY TIME. IT WAS ONLY AFTER WE QUESTIONED THE POS OF SMA Y THAT WE WERE INFORMED THAT IT WAS SMA Y LEVEL AT 3000' IN HIS CONTROL. LATER ON A CONVERSATION WITH THE TWR SUPVR I WAS TOLD THAT THE CTLR IN QUESTION WAS EXPERIENCED AND SMA Y TARGET HAD NO FLAG. STILL, IF KNOWN TFC IS AT 3000', WHY WERE WE CLRED TO 4000' TO CROSS IN FRONT?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.