An air carrier captain regrets that he questioned the ARTCC radar controller's veracity.

Attributes
ACN	315891
Time
Date	199509
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bum
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	315891
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Center pointed out traffic at 1 O'clock and 4 mi, VFR climbing. I pulled up TCASII on mfd display and only saw an aircraft at 11 O'clock and 10 mi. I began to expedite to 3000 FPM climb rate. I was now out of 14000 ft. Since the traffic I spotted was below me, I thought this course of action prudent. A target appeared at 1 O'clock and 1 mi. I knew the previous traffic was wrong, got an RA telling me to descend. I disconnected the autoplt, turned left and pushed over. The first officer spotted the traffic very close to us. Total separation about 600 ft to 1 mi horizontal. My mistake was in believing my TCASII display initially and believing the controller to have his O'clocks confused.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT REGRETS THAT HE QUESTIONED THE ARTCC RADAR CTLR'S VERACITY.

Narrative: CTR POINTED OUT TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 4 MI, VFR CLBING. I PULLED UP TCASII ON MFD DISPLAY AND ONLY SAW AN ACFT AT 11 O'CLOCK AND 10 MI. I BEGAN TO EXPEDITE TO 3000 FPM CLB RATE. I WAS NOW OUT OF 14000 FT. SINCE THE TFC I SPOTTED WAS BELOW ME, I THOUGHT THIS COURSE OF ACTION PRUDENT. A TARGET APPEARED AT 1 O'CLOCK AND 1 MI. I KNEW THE PREVIOUS TFC WAS WRONG, GOT AN RA TELLING ME TO DSND. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT, TURNED L AND PUSHED OVER. THE FO SPOTTED THE TFC VERY CLOSE TO US. TOTAL SEPARATION ABOUT 600 FT TO 1 MI HORIZ. MY MISTAKE WAS IN BELIEVING MY TCASII DISPLAY INITIALLY AND BELIEVING THE CTLR TO HAVE HIS O'CLOCKS CONFUSED.

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.