CE510 pilot is advised of traffic at 12 o'clock after departing apf but kept on heading and altitude...

Narrative:

Departing runway 5; naples tower gave me a right turn to 060 and cleared me for takeoff. I was switched to ft. Myers approach and checked in '1;500 climbing 2;000 heading 060'. Ft. Myers replied giving me traffic at '12 O'clock' and I believe it was 3 miles. I replied 'looking.' I leveled at 2;000 ft and started searching for the traffic against a backdrop of forming cumulus clouds between 2;000 ft and 5;000 ft. I think I was at 2;100 ft when I called ft. Myers asking; 'how about a turn or a climb for that traffic?' there was no answer. My tcad showed traffic and reported it showing a yellow circle (within 2 miles and 200 ft). I still did not see the traffic. I reduced power to slow down. When I finally saw the traffic I would say that it was less than 1;000 ft from me at the same altitude and slightly right of my nose. It was moving to the north (right to left). I started a right turn and climbed. At the closest point I estimate that the citabria; which was red and white; was 300 ft away at the same altitude at my 11:30 position. As I reached 2;450 ft and started to level; ft. Myers called to ask my assigned altitude. I told them 2;000 ft and stated that I had climbed to avoid the traffic. Ft. Myers asked if I had an RA and said something like 'you have to tell us if you climb for an RA.' I said 'no but it went red and I knew that I could out-climb him.' I meant yellow but was thinking about the citabria. Since I have tcad rather than TCAS I do not get resolution advisories (RA's). Ft. Myers asked me again what altitude I been assigned and had me return to my assigned altitude of 2;000 ft. The controller said something like; 'you can't just leave an assigned altitude when you are IFR.' I replied saying that it is my responsibility to avoid traffic. My passenger saw the citabria and was aware of my evasive maneuver. He asked about it after landing. I believe that if I had not altered course and climbed a collision was possible or even likely. I don't understand why I was given the traffic report but left on the same heading and altitude or why I got no response to my request for a heading or altitude change to avoid the traffic. I think I should probably have made a turn earlier and told ATC my intention as I did it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CE510 pilot is advised of traffic at 12 o'clock after departing APF but kept on heading and altitude by ATC. When the Reporter climbed and turned to avoid traffic he was questioned by ATC.

Narrative: Departing Runway 5; Naples Tower gave me a right turn to 060 and cleared me for takeoff. I was switched to Ft. Myers Approach and checked in '1;500 climbing 2;000 heading 060'. Ft. Myers replied giving me traffic at '12 O'clock' and I believe it was 3 miles. I replied 'Looking.' I leveled at 2;000 FT and started searching for the traffic against a backdrop of forming cumulus clouds between 2;000 FT and 5;000 FT. I think I was at 2;100 FT when I called Ft. Myers asking; 'How about a turn or a climb for that traffic?' There was no answer. My TCAD showed traffic and reported it showing a yellow circle (within 2 miles and 200 FT). I still did not see the traffic. I reduced power to slow down. When I finally saw the traffic I would say that it was less than 1;000 FT from me at the same altitude and slightly right of my nose. It was moving to the north (right to left). I started a right turn and climbed. At the closest point I estimate that the Citabria; which was red and white; was 300 FT away at the same altitude at my 11:30 position. As I reached 2;450 FT and started to level; Ft. Myers called to ask my assigned altitude. I told them 2;000 FT and stated that I had climbed to avoid the traffic. Ft. Myers asked if I had an RA and said something like 'you have to tell us if you climb for an RA.' I said 'No but it went red and I knew that I could out-climb him.' I meant yellow but was thinking about the Citabria. Since I have TCAD rather than TCAS I do not get Resolution Advisories (RA's). Ft. Myers asked me again what altitude I been assigned and had me return to my assigned altitude of 2;000 FT. The controller said something like; 'You can't just leave an assigned altitude when you are IFR.' I replied saying that it is my responsibility to avoid traffic. My passenger saw the Citabria and was aware of my evasive maneuver. He asked about it after landing. I believe that if I had not altered course and climbed a collision was possible or even likely. I don't understand why I was given the traffic report but left on the same heading and altitude or why I got no response to my request for a heading or altitude change to avoid the traffic. I think I should probably have made a turn earlier and told ATC my intention as I did it.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	909003
Time
Date	201009
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	APF.Airport
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna Citation Mustang (C510)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria Undifferentiated
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 172 Flight Crew Total 6244 Flight Crew Type 132
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 300 Vertical 100

CE510 pilot is advised of traffic at 12 o'clock after departing apf but kept on heading and altitude by ATC. When the reporter climbed and turned to avoid traffic he was questioned by ATC.