Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 88; Flight Crew Total 5570; Flight Crew Type 906
Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Procedure
We departed Eglin AFB; Runway 19; on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight clearance. Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) existed on departure and throughout the flight. Our departure instructions were to fly the runway heading and climb to 3;000 FT. Immediately after departure; Eglin Tower reported VFR traffic at our 1 o'clock position descending into Destin. We were then instructed to contact Eglin Departure. The situation rapidly deteriorated to the point that the aircraft's Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) issued a Resolution Advisory (RA); which; per the FAR's (91.123(a)); we complied with. The TCAS RA Commanded an increased climb rate which we accomplished. We did not see the traffic until it passed just beneath our nose. Tower issued a departure clearance while the other aircraft was descending across our planned departure path. The other aircraft was under control of the TRACON and operating under VFR conditions at the time; in Part 93 airspace. The TRACON Controller failed to adequately control the other aircraft once it cancelled its IFR flight plan and reported us in sight. The other aircraft reported us in sight; while we were rolling down the runway for departure. I don't believe the other aircraft fully realized the performance capabilities of the B737 aircraft on departure; nor did the Departure Controller.
B737 First Officer experiences a TCAS RA departing VPS Runway 19 with an aircraft landing at DTS. The arriving aircraft had reported the B737 in sight during the takeoff roll but apparently failed to take the climb rate into account.