Narrative:

While climbing to FL180 en route to jackson, ms, from chattanooga, tn, I was given a traffic call by ATC. It was for an aircraft believed to be on a VFR flight at 17500 ft. When the traffic was issued, I looked outside as I was approaching 17500 ft myself. Then from my right, I saw the traffic in my windshield approximately 100-200 ft away. I immediately pulled up to avoid the traffic, which got the attention of my passenger. They were all upset, and wanted to know what had happened and why. The cheyenne was level at cruise, traveling at 270 mph or so. I was in the climb indicating at 160 KTS. Our aircraft were on a collision course as depicted in the diagram. I verified the distance of the near collision via a check of what another aircraft on the ground looked like in my windshield on taxi in. I have been flying for 10 yrs and much of that in corporate operation into and out of busy airports. I have never had such a close call before. ATC was called after I got on the ground and they were helpful to an extent but I almost got the feeling there was an 'oh well, things happen' attitude. I was IFR and should have gotten an advisory for prior to 200-300 ft. What if there had been a midair! What would every authority/authorized and agency involved say then? 'Oh well, things happen?' I realize the system and human factors sometimes fail, but this was much too close for comfort. Had we both been VFR there may not be much to say about it, but I was IFR and the other guy was apparently on flight following. I think that ATC could have called that a bit farther out.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AC69 TURBO COMMANDER CLBING TO FL180 ADVISED BY ATC OF TFC AT 17500 FT VFR. SAW TFC WITHIN 100-200 FT MADE IMMEDIATE PULL-UP.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO FL180 ENRTE TO JACKSON, MS, FROM CHATTANOOGA, TN, I WAS GIVEN A TFC CALL BY ATC. IT WAS FOR AN ACFT BELIEVED TO BE ON A VFR FLT AT 17500 FT. WHEN THE TFC WAS ISSUED, I LOOKED OUTSIDE AS I WAS APCHING 17500 FT MYSELF. THEN FROM MY R, I SAW THE TFC IN MY WINDSHIELD APPROX 100-200 FT AWAY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP TO AVOID THE TFC, WHICH GOT THE ATTN OF MY PAX. THEY WERE ALL UPSET, AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WHY. THE CHEYENNE WAS LEVEL AT CRUISE, TRAVELING AT 270 MPH OR SO. I WAS IN THE CLB INDICATING AT 160 KTS. OUR ACFT WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE AS DEPICTED IN THE DIAGRAM. I VERIFIED THE DISTANCE OF THE NEAR COLLISION VIA A CHK OF WHAT ANOTHER ACFT ON THE GND LOOKED LIKE IN MY WINDSHIELD ON TAXI IN. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 10 YRS AND MUCH OF THAT IN CORPORATE OP INTO AND OUT OF BUSY ARPTS. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A CLOSE CALL BEFORE. ATC WAS CALLED AFTER I GOT ON THE GND AND THEY WERE HELPFUL TO AN EXTENT BUT I ALMOST GOT THE FEELING THERE WAS AN 'OH WELL, THINGS HAPPEN' ATTITUDE. I WAS IFR AND SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN ADVISORY FOR PRIOR TO 200-300 FT. WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN A MIDAIR! WHAT WOULD EVERY AUTH AND AGENCY INVOLVED SAY THEN? 'OH WELL, THINGS HAPPEN?' I REALIZE THE SYS AND HUMAN FACTORS SOMETIMES FAIL, BUT THIS WAS MUCH TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. HAD WE BOTH BEEN VFR THERE MAY NOT BE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT IT, BUT I WAS IFR AND THE OTHER GUY WAS APPARENTLY ON FLT FOLLOWING. I THINK THAT ATC COULD HAVE CALLED THAT A BIT FARTHER OUT.

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.