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Aircraft at cruise. Pilot completing cockpit duties. Looked up and saw aircraft at 12 to 1 O'clock position. Took evasive action, turn and dive.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 112688 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198905 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pxn airport : 3o8 |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 430 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 112688 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 500 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Departed harris ranch. Climbed from 2500-4500 to minimize turbulence. I looked down to adjust engine for cruise (adjust mixture and power, lock throttle, etc). When I looked up to resume scanning for traffic, I noticed an approaching aircraft at 12 to 1 O'clock position, less than 1/2 mi. I turned hard left and dove. Other plane, an small aircraft (I think), turned left and climbed after I started my turn. I was close enough to note the last character in his 3' high call sign was 'Y' or 'X'. We were at 4500' heading 300 before evading. Small aircraft had landing light on. We had strobes on, but transponder was on 'standby' and landing light off. If small aircraft was on a reciprocal course, shouldn't he have been at 3500 or 5500'? I should have enlisted passenger help in traffic spotting, but it was her first time up, and she was staring at the ground, watching the scenery go by.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACFT AT CRUISE. PLT COMPLETING COCKPIT DUTIES. LOOKED UP AND SAW ACFT AT 12 TO 1 O'CLOCK POSITION. TOOK EVASIVE ACTION, TURN AND DIVE.
Narrative: DEPARTED HARRIS RANCH. CLIMBED FROM 2500-4500 TO MINIMIZE TURBULENCE. I LOOKED DOWN TO ADJUST ENGINE FOR CRUISE (ADJUST MIXTURE AND POWER, LOCK THROTTLE, ETC). WHEN I LOOKED UP TO RESUME SCANNING FOR TFC, I NOTICED AN APCHING ACFT AT 12 TO 1 O'CLOCK POSITION, LESS THAN 1/2 MI. I TURNED HARD LEFT AND DOVE. OTHER PLANE, AN SMA (I THINK), TURNED LEFT AND CLIMBED AFTER I STARTED MY TURN. I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO NOTE THE LAST CHARACTER IN HIS 3' HIGH CALL SIGN WAS 'Y' OR 'X'. WE WERE AT 4500' HDG 300 BEFORE EVADING. SMA HAD LNDG LIGHT ON. WE HAD STROBES ON, BUT XPONDER WAS ON 'STANDBY' AND LNDG LIGHT OFF. IF SMA WAS ON A RECIPROCAL COURSE, SHOULDN'T HE HAVE BEEN AT 3500 OR 5500'? I SHOULD HAVE ENLISTED PAX HELP IN TFC SPOTTING, BUT IT WAS HER FIRST TIME UP, AND SHE WAS STARING AT THE GND, WATCHING THE SCENERY GO BY.
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.