A CPR FLC DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED HEADING IN A MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT THEY WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE. WHILE RECOVERING FROM THE HEADING DEV THE FO CLBED ABOVE THE ASSIGNED ALT AND HAD A LTSS AND PERHAPS AN NMAC. THE CTLR SAID THAT THEY MAY HEAR ABOUT THIS.

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AFTER LINING UP ON RWY 35; THE TWR CHANGED OUR DEP HDG FROM 340 DEGS TO A 'L TURN TO 280 DEGS; MAINTAIN 8000 FT MSL.' MY COPLT (PF) AND I BOTH SET OUR HSI'S TO THE NEW HEADING. AFTER TKOF AND APPROX 800 FT AGL; THE PF TURNED L TO 280 DEGS; CONTINUING THE CLB TO 8000 FT MSL. THE INITIAL CLB RATE WAS 2800 FPM AT 200 KTS. I CONTACTED SALT LAKE DEP; AND A FEW SECONDS LATER; WHILE 'MENTALLY' FLOWING THROUGH THE CLB CHKLIST; THE PF SUDDENLY INITIATED A MODERATE TURN TO THE R AND STATED; 'HE'S COMING RIGHT AT US.' SIMULTANEOUSLY; THE RADAR CTLR CALLED OUR TFC AT ? POS AND 9000 FT. AT THIS TIME; I DID NOT SEE THE TFC NOR DID I HAVE TIME TO RESPOND TO THE CTLR; BUT FIRMLY COMMANDED THE PF 'TO RETURN TO A 280 DEG HDG AND TO WATCH THE CLB RATE!' THE PF WAS APPARENTLY DISTRACTED BY THE TFC APCHING FROM HIS 1 O'CLOCK POS AND PERCEIVED IT AS A TFC CONFLICT. I NOW SAW THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE ACFT; HESITATED BRIEFLY; AND DECIDED IT WAS NOT A TFC CONFLICT. THE PF HAD NOW TURNED TO AN APPROX HDG OF 300 DEGS; WHEN HE STARTED RESPONDING TO MY COMMANDS TO TURN BACK TO THE ASSIGNED HEADING. NOW; AS THE ASSIGNED ALT OF 8000 FT MSL WAS BEING REACHED; I EMPHATICALLY CALLED OUT 'ALT; ALT.' AT APPROX 8100 FT MSL; WITH PALMS OF BOTH HANDS; I BRISKLY FORCED THE CTL YOKE FORWARD ARRESTING THE CLB NEAR AN ALT OF 8300 FT MSL. THE CTLR NOW ENTERED THE SCENARIO REQUESTING OUR HEADING AND ALT. I QUICKLY EXPLAINED THAT THE PF HAD 'PERCEIVED' A TFC CONFLICT SIT AND HAD MANEUVERED THE ACFT. THE CTLR REPLIED; 'THAT TFC WAS AT 9000 FT MSL AND YOUR ALT MAY HAVE BEEN 8500 FT MSL; YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT THIS.' THE ENTIRE INCIDENT LASTED APPROX 10 SECONDS.