Narrative:

I was cleared by lzu tower to fam via radar vectors, choo-choo climb to 5000 ft, expect FL350 after 5 mins, departure frequency of 119.3 and transponder code of xyza. I read back clearance and requested identify of choo-choo which tower gave as gqo and acknowledged readback correct. We waited for 5-6 GA fixed wing, reciprocating departures and were cleared for takeoff, with a turn to approximately 310 degrees when we had visual of light reciprocating, which took off previously to enter traffic pattern. After takeoff, we indicated we had light aircraft in sight and turned to approximately 310 degrees. During turn, we were cleared to ZTL, departure frequency, reported in and continued climb to 5000 ft. I heard many xmissions from center to other aircraft as he was saturated. We had a silent cockpit, and were monitoring and I was hand flying. We heard one call ending in 'D,' which was not abcd. I then heard call for another aircraft (air carrier heavy) to make a right descending turn as it was descending through 8000 ft. I heard another call which instructed me to 'turn left now.' I thought to 180 degrees. I started turn to left, as copilot attempted to verify heading. Center told us to turn to 270 degrees. I steadied at 270 degrees (all this time I had large aircraft in right descending turn at my 2 O'clock position, 2000-3000 ft above, 8-10 NM away). Then center instructed me to make a right climbing turn to 310 degrees and 8000 ft. FMS TCASII never indicated less than 1900 ft differential while it was illuminated, which was during initial turn to southerly, stopping on 270 degrees. During my turn back north, while continuing to climb to 8000 ft, the traffic passed from 2 O'clock high, level at 11:30 - 9:45 O'clock position low. It never appeared to get closer than 2 mi. ATC controller appeared totally saturated. I did not consider this an near midair collision and do not feel it would have become one, yet don't know what the controller planned to do with other jet. Controller changed us over to another controller, which I think was ZTL, followed shortly by ZME. I was VFR, flying on an IFR clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE40 CREW FOUND A VERY BUSY CTLR THAT WAS APCHING OVERLOAD. THE CTLR SEPARATED TFC IN AN ACCEPTABLE AND LEGAL MANNER.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED BY LZU TWR TO FAM VIA RADAR VECTORS, CHOO-CHOO CLB TO 5000 FT, EXPECT FL350 AFTER 5 MINS, DEP FREQ OF 119.3 AND XPONDER CODE OF XYZA. I READ BACK CLRNC AND REQUESTED IDENT OF CHOO-CHOO WHICH TWR GAVE AS GQO AND ACKNOWLEDGED READBACK CORRECT. WE WAITED FOR 5-6 GA FIXED WING, RECIPROCATING DEPS AND WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, WITH A TURN TO APPROX 310 DEGS WHEN WE HAD VISUAL OF LIGHT RECIPROCATING, WHICH TOOK OFF PREVIOUSLY TO ENTER TFC PATTERN. AFTER TKOF, WE INDICATED WE HAD LIGHT ACFT IN SIGHT AND TURNED TO APPROX 310 DEGS. DURING TURN, WE WERE CLRED TO ZTL, DEP FREQ, RPTED IN AND CONTINUED CLB TO 5000 FT. I HEARD MANY XMISSIONS FROM CTR TO OTHER ACFT AS HE WAS SATURATED. WE HAD A SILENT COCKPIT, AND WERE MONITORING AND I WAS HAND FLYING. WE HEARD ONE CALL ENDING IN 'D,' WHICH WAS NOT ABCD. I THEN HEARD CALL FOR ANOTHER ACFT (ACR HVY) TO MAKE A R DSNDING TURN AS IT WAS DSNDING THROUGH 8000 FT. I HEARD ANOTHER CALL WHICH INSTRUCTED ME TO 'TURN L NOW.' I THOUGHT TO 180 DEGS. I STARTED TURN TO L, AS COPLT ATTEMPTED TO VERIFY HDG. CTR TOLD US TO TURN TO 270 DEGS. I STEADIED AT 270 DEGS (ALL THIS TIME I HAD LARGE ACFT IN R DSNDING TURN AT MY 2 O'CLOCK POS, 2000-3000 FT ABOVE, 8-10 NM AWAY). THEN CTR INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE A R CLBING TURN TO 310 DEGS AND 8000 FT. FMS TCASII NEVER INDICATED LESS THAN 1900 FT DIFFERENTIAL WHILE IT WAS ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS DURING INITIAL TURN TO SOUTHERLY, STOPPING ON 270 DEGS. DURING MY TURN BACK N, WHILE CONTINUING TO CLB TO 8000 FT, THE TFC PASSED FROM 2 O'CLOCK HIGH, LEVEL AT 11:30 - 9:45 O'CLOCK POS LOW. IT NEVER APPEARED TO GET CLOSER THAN 2 MI. ATC CTLR APPEARED TOTALLY SATURATED. I DID NOT CONSIDER THIS AN NMAC AND DO NOT FEEL IT WOULD HAVE BECOME ONE, YET DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CTLR PLANNED TO DO WITH OTHER JET. CTLR CHANGED US OVER TO ANOTHER CTLR, WHICH I THINK WAS ZTL, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY ZME. I WAS VFR, FLYING ON AN IFR CLRNC.

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.