Narrative:

We were being step climbed by ZDC and had received a climb clearance from 16000 ft to FL180. Passing 1700 ft; traffic was issued as a BAC111 at 17500 ft opposite direction. Simultaneously we received a TCAS TA then RA to descend; and we did from 17300 ft. I then observed the BAC111 at my 11 O'clock position at 17500 ft making a sharp turn away from us to our left. (Evidently that aircraft did not have TCAS as he was turning; not climbing.) the traffic passed above us by at least 500 ft and mi I estimate; solely due to the TCAS RA. Had it not been for the TCAS RA; we would either have hit or passed extremely close to each other. This was a TCAS save. I asked the controller why we were climbed directly into known traffic; and got no response; then a frequency change thereafter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REPORTED TCAS TA/RA WITH ATC ISSUED OPPOSITE DIR TFC AT 17500; TCAS DESCENT RESULTED IN NO OPERROR REPORTED.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING STEP CLBED BY ZDC AND HAD RECEIVED A CLB CLRNC FROM 16000 FT TO FL180. PASSING 1700 FT; TFC WAS ISSUED AS A BAC111 AT 17500 FT OPPOSITE DIRECTION. SIMULTANEOUSLY WE RECEIVED A TCAS TA THEN RA TO DSND; AND WE DID FROM 17300 FT. I THEN OBSERVED THE BAC111 AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS AT 17500 FT MAKING A SHARP TURN AWAY FROM US TO OUR L. (EVIDENTLY THAT ACFT DID NOT HAVE TCAS AS HE WAS TURNING; NOT CLBING.) THE TFC PASSED ABOVE US BY AT LEAST 500 FT AND MI I ESTIMATE; SOLELY DUE TO THE TCAS RA. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE TCAS RA; WE WOULD EITHER HAVE HIT OR PASSED EXTREMELY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. THIS WAS A TCAS SAVE. I ASKED THE CTLR WHY WE WERE CLBED DIRECTLY INTO KNOWN TFC; AND GOT NO RESPONSE; THEN A FREQ CHANGE THEREAFTER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.