Close proximity GA-small aircraft GA-small aircraft psp VOR.

Attributes
ACN	137128
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v16
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 8700 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	137128
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 250 vertical : 20
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying my small aircraft X at 10000' MSL on an IFR flight plan wbound almost exactly over psp VOR squawking XXXX on the transponder. I was in the process of turning from inbound heading on V16 of 268 degree to the re-routed heading of 274 degree for V388 under the control of palm springs approach control. Frequency 126.7 when there appeared almost dead head (approximately 20' above and slightly to my left) a single engined small aircraft Y with retractable gear. As I was in autoplt mode and the aircraft appeared so suddenly, there was no time to disengage the autoplt and take evasive action. If it were not for the only few feet of sep there would have been a mid air collision. At the time, palm springs approach control was very busy. I did not report the near mid-air over the radio because I did not want to upset the controller especially as he was so busy. With the ever increasing restrictions to air space, particularly in the southern ca area, most instrument rated pilots now file 'instruments' even in clear VFR WX; mainly so that they will not wander unknowingly into restr arsa's and TCA's. This increased IFR activity is placing a greater workload on controllers. If that's the way the game is to be played, then more controllers are required.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA-SMA GA-SMA PSP VOR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING MY SMA X AT 10000' MSL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN WBOUND ALMOST EXACTLY OVER PSP VOR SQUAWKING XXXX ON THE TRANSPONDER. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING FROM INBND HDG ON V16 OF 268 DEG TO THE RE-ROUTED HDG OF 274 DEG FOR V388 UNDER THE CTL OF PALM SPRINGS APCH CTL. FREQ 126.7 WHEN THERE APPEARED ALMOST DEAD HEAD (APPROX 20' ABOVE AND SLIGHTLY TO MY L) A SINGLE ENGINED SMA Y WITH RETRACTABLE GEAR. AS I WAS IN AUTOPLT MODE AND THE ACFT APPEARED SO SUDDENLY, THERE WAS NO TIME TO DISENGAGE THE AUTOPLT AND TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE ONLY FEW FEET OF SEP THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MID AIR COLLISION. AT THE TIME, PALM SPRINGS APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY. I DID NOT RPT THE NEAR MID-AIR OVER THE RADIO BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO UPSET THE CTLR ESPECIALLY AS HE WAS SO BUSY. WITH THE EVER INCREASING RESTRICTIONS TO AIR SPACE, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTHERN CA AREA, MOST INSTRUMENT RATED PLTS NOW FILE 'INSTRUMENTS' EVEN IN CLR VFR WX; MAINLY SO THAT THEY WILL NOT WANDER UNKNOWINGLY INTO RESTR ARSA'S AND TCA'S. THIS INCREASED IFR ACTIVITY IS PLACING A GREATER WORKLOAD ON CTLRS. IF THAT'S THE WAY THE GAME IS TO BE PLAYED, THEN MORE CTLRS ARE REQUIRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.