MD83 HAS TFC ENCOUNTER IN STL CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative

ON THE LINDY 2 DEP OUT OF STL; WE WERE ON A VECTOR OF 210 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE DEP. WHEN WE LEVELED OFF AT 6000 FT; WE IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A CLB TO 10000 FT. I STARTED A SLOW CLB OUT OF 6000 FT WHEN THE TCASII WENT OFF AND SAID 'TFC; TFC.' THE COPLT SAW THE ACFT AND TOLD ME TO LEVEL OFF. I LEVELED AND THE TCASII THEN SAID 'DSND; DSND.' I STARTED TO PUSH THE NOSE OVER AND AN AIRPLANE WENT BY US 600 FT ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF US. THE CTLR THEN CAME ON AND ASKED US IF WE HAD TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK POS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED WE DID. WE WERE BOTH SURPRISED HOW CLOSE WE HAD COME TO A MIDAIR. IF I HAD STARTED A FASTER CLB; WE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE (IF NOT IMPACTED). ST LOUIS HAS VERY TFC INTENSIVE AIRSPACE AND ON THE PREVIOUS LEG WE RECEIVED AN RA DURING THE APCH BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF LNDG TFC; WHICH MIGHT HAVE MADE ME A LITTLE BLASE ABOUT THE RA WE RECEIVED INITIALLY. THE CTLR NEVER TOLD US ABOUT THE TFC THAT WAS PROBABLY AT 7000 FT UNTIL WE HAD PASSED IT; SO WE WONDERED IF HE WAS AWARE OF THE CONFLICT UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. THIS INCIDENT WILL CAUSE ME TO BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN TERMINAL AREAS. MISTAKES CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE.