ACR AT APPROX FL240 WITH ZID EXPERIENCED TCAS TA DURING CLIMB CLRNC; FAA RECORDED EVENT AS OPERROR.

Narrative

APPROX 25 MI NE OF IND AT FL230; CRJ-200 WAS GIVEN A L TURN DIRECT IIU THEN AS FILED. A SHORT TIME LATER; WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL250. CLBING OUT OF APPROX FL240; CTR CTLR URGENTLY REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE INCREASE IN OUR CLB AND A L-HAND TURN TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS. HE THEN ISSUED A TFC ALERT. AROUND FL242; WE RECEIVED A TCAS ALERT TO DSND THEN INCREASE DSCNT. AS THE PF; FO APPROPRIATELY INITIATED A DSNDING L-HAND TURN AWAY FROM THE TARGET PER THE AURAL AND VISUAL GUIDANCE FROM THE TCAS. THE OTHER ACFT WAS NOTED TO BE APPROX 2 1/2 MI TO OUR 3-4 O'CLOCK POS AND 100 FT ABOVE OUR FLT PATH. ONCE WE WERE CLR OF THE OTHER ACFT; WE RECEIVED ATC CLRNC TO RETURN TO OUR ORIGINAL HDG AND ALT. CTR CTLR MADE A STATEMENT SOMETHING LIKE; 'SORRY; THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO TURN OUT LIKE THAT' AND THEN ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS OK. WE INFORMED THE CTLR THAT EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL ONBOARD AND CONTINUED ON. THE FLT ATTENDANT AND I COMMUNICATED VIA THE INTERCOM ABOUT THE INCIDENT. I EXPLAINED TO HER WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE AND SHE STATED THAT THE PAX NEVER INDICATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF ANYTHING ABNORMAL DURING OUR AVOIDANCE MANEUVER.