Narrative:

On climb out of lynchburg, tower handed us off to wash center. Center gave us a climb clearance to 12000' and asked for identify. We were just climbing out of 4000' when first officer, who was flying, made evasive maneuver of suddenly leveling off. He pointed to an small aircraft Y about 100' above and in front of us. The small aircraft Y came from our blind side on the 8 O'clock to 2 O'clock position. There was no way we could have detected him visually. I immediately asked center why we didn't get a call on the small aircraft Y. He asked for another identify then asked if I knew that we were not confirmed in radar contact. I said yes, but did he have a fix on the small aircraft Y. His reply was yes he did have a mode C target at 4400', but wasn't talking to him. I think that pretty well says it all. Controller knew of target and clrd us through his altitude with no advisory and then tried to cover himself with that lame excuse of not talking to him. Obvious controller error on this one.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR MDT IN CLIMB HAD NMAC WITH UNKNOWN VFR SMA, NO TRAFFIC ADVISORY GIVEN BY ARTCC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF LYNCHBURG, TWR HANDED US OFF TO WASH CENTER. CENTER GAVE US A CLB CLRNC TO 12000' AND ASKED FOR IDENT. WE WERE JUST CLBING OUT OF 4000' WHEN F/O, WHO WAS FLYING, MADE EVASIVE MANEUVER OF SUDDENLY LEVELING OFF. HE POINTED TO AN SMA Y ABOUT 100' ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF US. THE SMA Y CAME FROM OUR BLIND SIDE ON THE 8 O'CLOCK TO 2 O'CLOCK POS. THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD HAVE DETECTED HIM VISUALLY. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED CENTER WHY WE DIDN'T GET A CALL ON THE SMA Y. HE ASKED FOR ANOTHER IDENT THEN ASKED IF I KNEW THAT WE WERE NOT CONFIRMED IN RADAR CONTACT. I SAID YES, BUT DID HE HAVE A FIX ON THE SMA Y. HIS REPLY WAS YES HE DID HAVE A MODE C TARGET AT 4400', BUT WASN'T TALKING TO HIM. I THINK THAT PRETTY WELL SAYS IT ALL. CTLR KNEW OF TARGET AND CLRD US THROUGH HIS ALT WITH NO ADVISORY AND THEN TRIED TO COVER HIMSELF WITH THAT LAME EXCUSE OF NOT TALKING TO HIM. OBVIOUS CTLR ERROR ON THIS ONE.

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