Narrative:

We were at FL360 and asked for a climb to FL380 because we were out-running a citation excel at FL380. The ZDC controller climbed us to (opposite direction) FL370 and moments later changed us over to the next washington controller frequency. As we entered the frequency; we heard the controller turning an air carrier aircraft and apologizing for 'forgetting about...(unintelligible).' at that time we saw the traffic directly in front of us and in a very tight turn. I looked down at our TA unit (not a real TCAS with limited 6 mi range); I could see that he was also at FL370 (zero altitude difference). We passed behind him by what seemed to be less than 1 1/2 mi. Seeing that we were not in immediate danger; I punched off the autoplt knowing that we were going to go through his wake and since he was in a turn there wasn't any way for me to avoid it other than to climb a few hundred ft possibly creating yet another unsafe condition. I elected to stay on altitude. Even though the turbulence lasted only a few seconds; when we hit his wake it was like hitting a brick wall. The controller apologized to the other crew and then apologized to us and cleared us direct to ilm; even though we were previously cleared direct to ilm by previous controllers. The flight continued without further incident. I believe the controller accepted the opposite direction traffic and forgot about the other flight. I believe the controller gave himself a 'deal' and you would have thought the controller handing us off would have also seen the other flight and wouldn't have asked to climb us from FL360 to FL370.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C650 WAKE TURB ENCOUNTER WITH SAME ALT; OPPOSITE DIRECTION B757 DUE TO ATC OPDEV.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL360 AND ASKED FOR A CLB TO FL380 BECAUSE WE WERE OUT-RUNNING A CITATION EXCEL AT FL380. THE ZDC CTLR CLBED US TO (OPPOSITE DIRECTION) FL370 AND MOMENTS LATER CHANGED US OVER TO THE NEXT WASHINGTON CTLR FREQ. AS WE ENTERED THE FREQ; WE HEARD THE CTLR TURNING AN ACR ACFT AND APOLOGIZING FOR 'FORGETTING ABOUT...(UNINTELLIGIBLE).' AT THAT TIME WE SAW THE TFC DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US AND IN A VERY TIGHT TURN. I LOOKED DOWN AT OUR TA UNIT (NOT A REAL TCAS WITH LIMITED 6 MI RANGE); I COULD SEE THAT HE WAS ALSO AT FL370 (ZERO ALT DIFFERENCE). WE PASSED BEHIND HIM BY WHAT SEEMED TO BE LESS THAN 1 1/2 MI. SEEING THAT WE WERE NOT IN IMMEDIATE DANGER; I PUNCHED OFF THE AUTOPLT KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH HIS WAKE AND SINCE HE WAS IN A TURN THERE WASN'T ANY WAY FOR ME TO AVOID IT OTHER THAN TO CLB A FEW HUNDRED FT POSSIBLY CREATING YET ANOTHER UNSAFE CONDITION. I ELECTED TO STAY ON ALT. EVEN THOUGH THE TURB LASTED ONLY A FEW SECONDS; WHEN WE HIT HIS WAKE IT WAS LIKE HITTING A BRICK WALL. THE CTLR APOLOGIZED TO THE OTHER CREW AND THEN APOLOGIZED TO US AND CLRED US DIRECT TO ILM; EVEN THOUGH WE WERE PREVIOUSLY CLRED DIRECT TO ILM BY PREVIOUS CTLRS. THE FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE CTLR ACCEPTED THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AND FORGOT ABOUT THE OTHER FLT. I BELIEVE THE CTLR GAVE HIMSELF A 'DEAL' AND YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE CTLR HANDING US OFF WOULD HAVE ALSO SEEN THE OTHER FLT AND WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED TO CLB US FROM FL360 TO FL370.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.