Narrative:

During en route climbout from ord on 090 degree vector, ATC had cleared us to FL230 and captain (PNF) read back clearance and put it in alerter. Climbing through FL185 to approximately FL195 ATC commented 'traffic at 2 O'clock, nwbnd, FL200, higher when clear'. I realized we'd be at FL200 in a matter of seconds so I immediately began shallowing the rate of climb (which was 3000+ FPM). As I commented to captain something was wrong (don't really remember what I said), started searching for traffic and quickly picked up xx series (I think) small transport that appeared to have already begun an evasive maneuver. It was quickly apparent to me that we would not hit other aircraft, so I kept my actions fairly smooth in order to not injure passenger and F/a's. Our aircraft reached FL197 before leveling and I descended to FL190, although ATC never said anything. Small transport pilot said that was pretty close and called it a 'near miss'. No reply from ARTCC. Small transport pilot again called center and said his altitude deviation was due to a near miss and he was descending back to FL200. Still no reply from center. After a bit (I guess 40 seconds) center came back on with further clrncs and made no reference to what had happened. Had controller not made advisory transmission, or I not realized conflict as quickly as I did, or if small transport pilot had not been in good WX and very aware of us, we'd have either collided or we may have been slightly above him, but it would have been very close. ATC 'hearback' is extremely lacking in our environment in my opinion even if not cause of this particular event. Supplemental information from acn 112162: a graphic reminder of not only maintaining external vigilance but also to maintain a critical awareness of communications to all aircraft on the frequency so as to recognize potential conflicts before they become critical.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC OCCURRED BETWEEN REPORTER ACFT ON CLIMBOUT FROM DEP ARPT AND AN ENROUTE SMT.

Narrative: DURING ENRTE CLIMBOUT FROM ORD ON 090 DEG VECTOR, ATC HAD CLRED US TO FL230 AND CAPT (PNF) READ BACK CLRNC AND PUT IT IN ALERTER. CLIMBING THROUGH FL185 TO APPROX FL195 ATC COMMENTED 'TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK, NWBND, FL200, HIGHER WHEN CLEAR'. I REALIZED WE'D BE AT FL200 IN A MATTER OF SECONDS SO I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SHALLOWING THE RATE OF CLIMB (WHICH WAS 3000+ FPM). AS I COMMENTED TO CAPT SOMETHING WAS WRONG (DON'T REALLY REMEMBER WHAT I SAID), STARTED SEARCHING FOR TFC AND QUICKLY PICKED UP XX SERIES (I THINK) SMT THAT APPEARED TO HAVE ALREADY BEGUN AN EVASIVE MANEUVER. IT WAS QUICKLY APPARENT TO ME THAT WE WOULD NOT HIT OTHER ACFT, SO I KEPT MY ACTIONS FAIRLY SMOOTH IN ORDER TO NOT INJURE PAX AND F/A'S. OUR ACFT REACHED FL197 BEFORE LEVELING AND I DESCENDED TO FL190, ALTHOUGH ATC NEVER SAID ANYTHING. SMT PLT SAID THAT WAS PRETTY CLOSE AND CALLED IT A 'NEAR MISS'. NO REPLY FROM ARTCC. SMT PLT AGAIN CALLED CENTER AND SAID HIS ALT DEVIATION WAS DUE TO A NEAR MISS AND HE WAS DESCENDING BACK TO FL200. STILL NO REPLY FROM CENTER. AFTER A BIT (I GUESS 40 SECONDS) CENTER CAME BACK ON WITH FURTHER CLRNCS AND MADE NO REFERENCE TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HAD CTLR NOT MADE ADVISORY XMISSION, OR I NOT REALIZED CONFLICT AS QUICKLY AS I DID, OR IF SMT PLT HAD NOT BEEN IN GOOD WX AND VERY AWARE OF US, WE'D HAVE EITHER COLLIDED OR WE MAY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY ABOVE HIM, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE. ATC 'HEARBACK' IS EXTREMELY LACKING IN OUR ENVIRONMENT IN MY OPINION EVEN IF NOT CAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR EVENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 112162: A GRAPHIC REMINDER OF NOT ONLY MAINTAINING EXTERNAL VIGILANCE BUT ALSO TO MAINTAIN A CRITICAL AWARENESS OF COMS TO ALL ACFT ON THE FREQ SO AS TO RECOGNIZE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS BEFORE THEY BECOME CRITICAL.

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.