Narrative:

Cleared to FL280 for final altitude. Later clearance amended to maintain FL240. At FL240 for some time. Proceeding direct to hvq as cleared. ZID controller then cleared us to climb and maintain FL280. Passing approximately FL245 controller told us to expedite climb. Almost immediately after, got a TCASII TA from aircraft approximately 1300 ft above us and apparently descending. Shortly after, controller issued us a turn to heading 270 (from approximately heading 140 degrees) and gave us the traffic call. Simultaneously with the heading change, we got a TCASII RA which had me climb at approximately 2500 FPM. I disconnected autoplt! Complied with both the ATC clearance to turn (in a 30 degree bank) and the TCASII RA which had me climb at approximately 2500 FPM. Meanwhile captain noted to controller he had the traffic visually. I concentrated on flying the aircraft. After the event I asked the captain if he noted how close the other aircraft came. He said about 4 NM as determined from the TCASII screen which he had selected to 5 mi scale as the intruder got closer. There was certainly no rush for us to get clearance to climb to FL280. While I am far from perfect in the performance of my duties, it would appear that this loss of separation was controller error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS LTSS IN CLASS A AIRSPACE. TCASII RA.

Narrative: CLRED TO FL280 FOR FINAL ALT. LATER CLRNC AMENDED TO MAINTAIN FL240. AT FL240 FOR SOME TIME. PROCEEDING DIRECT TO HVQ AS CLRED. ZID CTLR THEN CLRED US TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL280. PASSING APPROX FL245 CTLR TOLD US TO EXPEDITE CLB. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER, GOT A TCASII TA FROM ACFT APPROX 1300 FT ABOVE US AND APPARENTLY DSNDING. SHORTLY AFTER, CTLR ISSUED US A TURN TO HDG 270 (FROM APPROX HDG 140 DEGS) AND GAVE US THE TFC CALL. SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE HDG CHANGE, WE GOT A TCASII RA WHICH HAD ME CLB AT APPROX 2500 FPM. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT! COMPLIED WITH BOTH THE ATC CLRNC TO TURN (IN A 30 DEG BANK) AND THE TCASII RA WHICH HAD ME CLB AT APPROX 2500 FPM. MEANWHILE CAPT NOTED TO CTLR HE HAD THE TFC VISUALLY. I CONCENTRATED ON FLYING THE ACFT. AFTER THE EVENT I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE NOTED HOW CLOSE THE OTHER ACFT CAME. HE SAID ABOUT 4 NM AS DETERMINED FROM THE TCASII SCREEN WHICH HE HAD SELECTED TO 5 MI SCALE AS THE INTRUDER GOT CLOSER. THERE WAS CERTAINLY NO RUSH FOR US TO GET CLRNC TO CLB TO FL280. WHILE I AM FAR FROM PERFECT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF MY DUTIES, IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS CTLR ERROR.

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