AC69 TURBO COMMANDER CLBING TO FL180 ADVISED BY ATC OF TFC AT 17500 FT VFR. SAW TFC WITHIN 100-200 FT MADE IMMEDIATE PULL-UP.

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WHILE CLBING TO FL180 ENRTE TO JACKSON; MS; FROM CHATTANOOGA; TN; I WAS GIVEN A TFC CALL BY ATC. IT WAS FOR AN ACFT BELIEVED TO BE ON A VFR FLT AT 17500 FT. WHEN THE TFC WAS ISSUED; I LOOKED OUTSIDE AS I WAS APCHING 17500 FT MYSELF. THEN FROM MY R; I SAW THE TFC IN MY WINDSHIELD APPROX 100-200 FT AWAY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP TO AVOID THE TFC; WHICH GOT THE ATTN OF MY PAX. THEY WERE ALL UPSET; AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WHY. THE CHEYENNE WAS LEVEL AT CRUISE; TRAVELING AT 270 MPH OR SO. I WAS IN THE CLB INDICATING AT 160 KTS. OUR ACFT WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE AS DEPICTED IN THE DIAGRAM. I VERIFIED THE DISTANCE OF THE NEAR COLLISION VIA A CHK OF WHAT ANOTHER ACFT ON THE GND LOOKED LIKE IN MY WINDSHIELD ON TAXI IN. I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 10 YRS AND MUCH OF THAT IN CORPORATE OP INTO AND OUT OF BUSY ARPTS. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A CLOSE CALL BEFORE. ATC WAS CALLED AFTER I GOT ON THE GND AND THEY WERE HELPFUL TO AN EXTENT BUT I ALMOST GOT THE FEELING THERE WAS AN 'OH WELL; THINGS HAPPEN' ATTITUDE. I WAS IFR AND SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN ADVISORY FOR PRIOR TO 200-300 FT. WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN A MIDAIR! WHAT WOULD EVERY AUTH AND AGENCY INVOLVED SAY THEN? 'OH WELL; THINGS HAPPEN?' I REALIZE THE SYS AND HUMAN FACTORS SOMETIMES FAIL; BUT THIS WAS MUCH TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. HAD WE BOTH BEEN VFR THERE MAY NOT BE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT IT; BUT I WAS IFR AND THE OTHER GUY WAS APPARENTLY ON FLT FOLLOWING. I THINK THAT ATC COULD HAVE CALLED THAT A BIT FARTHER OUT.