IFR mdt in climb had near midair collision with unknown VFR small aircraft, no traffic advisory give...

Attributes
ACN	81228
Time
Date	198801
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lyh
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	81228
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On climb out of lynchburg, tower handed us off to wash center. Center gave us a climb clearance to 12000' and asked for identify. We were just climbing out of 4000' when first officer, who was flying, made evasive maneuver of suddenly leveling off. He pointed to an small aircraft Y about 100' above and in front of us. The small aircraft Y came from our blind side on the 8 O'clock to 2 O'clock position. There was no way we could have detected him visually. I immediately asked center why we didn't get a call on the small aircraft Y. He asked for another identify then asked if I knew that we were not confirmed in radar contact. I said yes, but did he have a fix on the small aircraft Y. His reply was yes he did have a mode C target at 4400', but wasn't talking to him. I think that pretty well says it all. Controller knew of target and clrd us through his altitude with no advisory and then tried to cover himself with that lame excuse of not talking to him. Obvious controller error on this one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR MDT IN CLIMB HAD NMAC WITH UNKNOWN VFR SMA, NO TRAFFIC ADVISORY GIVEN BY ARTCC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT OF LYNCHBURG, TWR HANDED US OFF TO WASH CENTER. CENTER GAVE US A CLB CLRNC TO 12000' AND ASKED FOR IDENT. WE WERE JUST CLBING OUT OF 4000' WHEN F/O, WHO WAS FLYING, MADE EVASIVE MANEUVER OF SUDDENLY LEVELING OFF. HE POINTED TO AN SMA Y ABOUT 100' ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF US. THE SMA Y CAME FROM OUR BLIND SIDE ON THE 8 O'CLOCK TO 2 O'CLOCK POS. THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD HAVE DETECTED HIM VISUALLY. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED CENTER WHY WE DIDN'T GET A CALL ON THE SMA Y. HE ASKED FOR ANOTHER IDENT THEN ASKED IF I KNEW THAT WE WERE NOT CONFIRMED IN RADAR CONTACT. I SAID YES, BUT DID HE HAVE A FIX ON THE SMA Y. HIS REPLY WAS YES HE DID HAVE A MODE C TARGET AT 4400', BUT WASN'T TALKING TO HIM. I THINK THAT PRETTY WELL SAYS IT ALL. CTLR KNEW OF TARGET AND CLRD US THROUGH HIS ALT WITH NO ADVISORY AND THEN TRIED TO COVER HIMSELF WITH THAT LAME EXCUSE OF NOT TALKING TO HIM. OBVIOUS CTLR ERROR ON THIS ONE.

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.

IFR mdt in climb had near midair collision with unknown VFR small aircraft, no traffic advisory given by ARTCC.