Date: 201708
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: SNA.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Corporate
Operating under: Part 135
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class E SCT
ATC / advisory: TRACON SCT
Second aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Reporter organization: Corporate
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Automation Air Traffic Control; Automation Aircraft TA; Person Air Traffic Control; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Climbing out of SNA. Handed off to departure. Was given instructions to turn right to heading 240 and climb to 8000 ft by first controller. Another controller immediately after radioed and gave instructions to cancel/disregard instructions. Initial controller then gave same instructions again to turn right to heading 240 and climb maintain 8000 ft. Other controller then gave instructions to turn right to heading 270 and climb; maintain 8000 ft. Response radio calls were made after each instruction from controllers. Amidst these instructions and transfer of controllers; traffic was seen and avoided.Seemed like there was training going on within ATC and confusion of instructions made. Recommend training during low peak traffic times and environment; if training was occurring. Or recommend no transfer of controllers within that traffic environment; if no training was occurring.


Second narrative: We had just departed SNA on the MUSEL8 and were assigned 5000 ft as initial altitude from clearance. We got switched to SoCal Departure and on the check on were given to maintain 5000 ft. Nearing MUSEL intersection the controller started to assign a heading; but was cut off by a supervisor or trainer who told us to disregard. A couple seconds later; the controller gave us the instructions to turn right heading 240 and climb to 8000 ft. I read back 'turn right heading 240; climb 8000 ft.' As soon as the pilot flying started to make the turn we got a TA from our TCAS 1 system; I looked outside and saw a Piper very close to us and observed the TA to be at our altitude. I saw the airplane; immediately took control of the airplane and pulled up to climb at a faster rate. I would estimate our distance at around 100-200 ft separation. The supervisor controller then came on and asked what altitude we were at to which I responded we had been given the turn and climb. There was definitely confusion between the controller being trained or supervised and the trainer or supervisor. Another issue was that the [Piper] was on frequency and in the departure corridor of SNA very close to the altitude of departures from the airport. Directly after this we were given a frequency change and continued without issue.


Synopsis: Business jet flight crew and SCT Departure Controller reported confusion with instructions that resulted in a NMAC.