Narrative:

While departing 5QL for ukiah, I was planning to transition oak arsa. I wanted to remain clear of tower control, knowing that the pm rush was probably occurring. I thought that the 1500'-2000' segment of the arsa was bay approach's airspace, and thought that it would work out fine. Bay had acknowledged my aircraft by number, and I was requesting a climb to 2000' and was told to stand by. Since acknowledgement by numbers is considered to be contact with the controller, I was in the process of starting a climb when an small aircraft passed over me by no more than 100'. I had an alternate plan to avoid running into the airspace, but did not feel it appropriate to exercise it at that time, since contact with bay was established. The problem arose when bay told me that I should have been talking to tower. I replied that I was trying to stay out of their (tower's) 'hair' and apologized. I have made the transition before using oak tower, but not at or above 1500' MSL without talking directly to oak. It is now obvious that the tower has control of the full elevation of the inner core up to 2000' MSL. With regard to the small aircraft, I saw that aircraft in enough time to avoid it. Still, any close encounter can be uncomfortable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER SMA WHILE FLYING IN OR NEAR THE OAK ARSA.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING 5QL FOR UKIAH, I WAS PLANNING TO TRANSITION OAK ARSA. I WANTED TO REMAIN CLEAR OF TWR CTL, KNOWING THAT THE PM RUSH WAS PROBABLY OCCURRING. I THOUGHT THAT THE 1500'-2000' SEGMENT OF THE ARSA WAS BAY APCH'S AIRSPACE, AND THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD WORK OUT FINE. BAY HAD ACKNOWLEDGED MY ACFT BY NUMBER, AND I WAS REQUESTING A CLIMB TO 2000' AND WAS TOLD TO STAND BY. SINCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY NUMBERS IS CONSIDERED TO BE CONTACT WITH THE CTLR, I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING A CLIMB WHEN AN SMA PASSED OVER ME BY NO MORE THAN 100'. I HAD AN ALTERNATE PLAN TO AVOID RUNNING INTO THE AIRSPACE, BUT DID NOT FEEL IT APPROPRIATE TO EXERCISE IT AT THAT TIME, SINCE CONTACT WITH BAY WAS ESTABLISHED. THE PROBLEM AROSE WHEN BAY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKING TO TWR. I REPLIED THAT I WAS TRYING TO STAY OUT OF THEIR (TWR'S) 'HAIR' AND APOLOGIZED. I HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION BEFORE USING OAK TWR, BUT NOT AT OR ABOVE 1500' MSL WITHOUT TALKING DIRECTLY TO OAK. IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT THE TWR HAS CONTROL OF THE FULL ELEVATION OF THE INNER CORE UP TO 2000' MSL. WITH REGARD TO THE SMA, I SAW THAT ACFT IN ENOUGH TIME TO AVOID IT. STILL, ANY CLOSE ENCOUNTER CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE.

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.