Narrative:

Center pointed out traffic at 1 O'clock and 4 mi, VFR climbing. I pulled up TCASII on mfd display and only saw an aircraft at 11 O'clock and 10 mi. I began to expedite to 3000 FPM climb rate. I was now out of 14000 ft. Since the traffic I spotted was below me, I thought this course of action prudent. A target appeared at 1 O'clock and 1 mi. I knew the previous traffic was wrong, got an RA telling me to descend. I disconnected the autoplt, turned left and pushed over. The first officer spotted the traffic very close to us. Total separation about 600 ft to 1 mi horizontal. My mistake was in believing my TCASII display initially and believing the controller to have his O'clocks confused.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT REGRETS THAT HE QUESTIONED THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR'S VERACITY.

Narrative: CTR POINTED OUT TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 4 MI, VFR CLBING. I PULLED UP TCASII ON MFD DISPLAY AND ONLY SAW AN ACFT AT 11 O'CLOCK AND 10 MI. I BEGAN TO EXPEDITE TO 3000 FPM CLB RATE. I WAS NOW OUT OF 14000 FT. SINCE THE TFC I SPOTTED WAS BELOW ME, I THOUGHT THIS COURSE OF ACTION PRUDENT. A TARGET APPEARED AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI. I KNEW THE PREVIOUS TFC WAS WRONG, GOT AN RA TELLING ME TO DSND. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, TURNED L AND PUSHED OVER. THE FO SPOTTED THE TFC VERY CLOSE TO US. TOTAL SEPARATION ABOUT 600 FT TO 1 MI HORIZ. MY MISTAKE WAS IN BELIEVING MY TCASII DISPLAY INITIALLY AND BELIEVING THE CTLR TO HAVE HIS O'CLOCKS CONFUSED.

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.