The captain of an E120 reported an near midair collision with a C172 in the vicinity of vld.

Attributes
ACN	570229
Time
Date	200212
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : vad.tracon tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : vld.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	570229
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While we were level at 2000 ft, awaiting climb instructions from valdosta departure, we were experiencing light chop. We continually asked for higher. We had traffic in sight, that was advised by departure, at our 3 O'clock position and 2000 ft higher. We also pointed that out and we were asking for a higher altitude. We were cleared to 10000 ft and we started a climb. I noticed an aircraft at our 12 O'clock position and at our altitude and I took evasive action by increasing our pitch attitude to avoid a collision. I informed the controller that we were too close to the aircraft and we missed the traffic by less than 500 ft. The controller stated that he showed no traffic on his radar for that position. He also asked if we had seen what type of aircraft it was and we replied that 'it was a C172 aircraft.' we did not receive a TCASII warning and it did now show at all on our TCASII. There were other aircraft that indicated normally on our TCASII and it did not indicate a malfunction. A company report was submitted.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE CAPT OF AN E120 RPTED AN NMAC WITH A C172 IN THE VICINITY OF VLD.

Narrative: WHILE WE WERE LEVEL AT 2000 FT, AWAITING CLB INSTRUCTIONS FROM VALDOSTA DEP, WE WERE EXPERIENCING LIGHT CHOP. WE CONTINUALLY ASKED FOR HIGHER. WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT, THAT WAS ADVISED BY DEP, AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS AND 2000 FT HIGHER. WE ALSO POINTED THAT OUT AND WE WERE ASKING FOR A HIGHER ALT. WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT AND WE STARTED A CLB. I NOTICED AN ACFT AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS AND AT OUR ALT AND I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY INCREASING OUR PITCH ATTITUDE TO AVOID A COLLISION. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE ACFT AND WE MISSED THE TFC BY LESS THAN 500 FT. THE CTLR STATED THAT HE SHOWED NO TFC ON HIS RADAR FOR THAT POS. HE ALSO ASKED IF WE HAD SEEN WHAT TYPE OF ACFT IT WAS AND WE REPLIED THAT 'IT WAS A C172 ACFT.' WE DID NOT RECEIVE A TCASII WARNING AND IT DID NOW SHOW AT ALL ON OUR TCASII. THERE WERE OTHER ACFT THAT INDICATED NORMALLY ON OUR TCASII AND IT DID NOT INDICATE A MALFUNCTION. A COMPANY RPT WAS SUBMITTED.

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.