Narrative:

ATC (columbus approach, 118.85) cleared our flight to climb to 10000 ft MSL, out of 8000 ft MSL, south of findlay VOR. We were in and out of cloud layers throughout our climb, and our visibility was significantly reduced by haze. As we came out of layer of clouds, I noticed another aircraft slightly above our altitude heading straight for us. I immediately interrupted the climb, and simultaneously made a violent 90 degree turn to the right, while informing my captain by saying: 'we got traffic at 12 O'clock position.' we were still turning when the other aircraft came off our left side, at a distance of approximately 500 ft above us. The other aircraft never changed course or altitude during the incident, and never made any calls to columbus approach. My captain notified ATC of what occurred: 'hey, columbus approach, we just had a traffic here at our 12 O'clock position.' to which columbus responded: 'huh, yeah,...he's a VFR traffic squawking 1200, and he's not talking to anyone...' my captain responded with the following: 'yes, but you cleared us to climb to 10000 ft and you never told us about him. We had to take evasive action to avoid a collision.' the controller responded with muted silence. The rest of our flight proceeded without any further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB110 CARGO FLC SIGHTS SAME TYPE ACFT HEADING STRAIGHT AT THEM WHEN THEY COMMENCE CLB AS CLRED.

Narrative: ATC (COLUMBUS APCH, 118.85) CLRED OUR FLT TO CLB TO 10000 FT MSL, OUT OF 8000 FT MSL, S OF FINDLAY VOR. WE WERE IN AND OUT OF CLOUD LAYERS THROUGHOUT OUR CLB, AND OUR VISIBILITY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BY HAZE. AS WE CAME OUT OF LAYER OF CLOUDS, I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT SLIGHTLY ABOVE OUR ALT HEADING STRAIGHT FOR US. I IMMEDIATELY INTERRUPTED THE CLB, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY MADE A VIOLENT 90 DEG TURN TO THE R, WHILE INFORMING MY CAPT BY SAYING: 'WE GOT TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS.' WE WERE STILL TURNING WHEN THE OTHER ACFT CAME OFF OUR L SIDE, AT A DISTANCE OF APPROX 500 FT ABOVE US. THE OTHER ACFT NEVER CHANGED COURSE OR ALT DURING THE INCIDENT, AND NEVER MADE ANY CALLS TO COLUMBUS APCH. MY CAPT NOTIFIED ATC OF WHAT OCCURRED: 'HEY, COLUMBUS APCH, WE JUST HAD A TFC HERE AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS.' TO WHICH COLUMBUS RESPONDED: 'HUH, YEAH,...HE'S A VFR TFC SQUAWKING 1200, AND HE'S NOT TALKING TO ANYONE...' MY CAPT RESPONDED WITH THE FOLLOWING: 'YES, BUT YOU CLRED US TO CLB TO 10000 FT AND YOU NEVER TOLD US ABOUT HIM. WE HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A COLLISION.' THE CTLR RESPONDED WITH MUTED SILENCE. THE REST OF OUR FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.