Narrative:

On 8/89, I was conducting a pleasure IFR flight with 1 passenger from roa to day. The first segment of the flight was from roanoke VOR to ekn at 8000'. WX conditions were IFR. We were intermittently flying through cumulus buildups tops with generally improving visibility. Cumulus clouds were becoming scattered with good visibility otherwise. While on this segment, control was with washington center. At this point I heard a radio transmission 'what's an small aircraft doing here'. This was followed by an exchange with the center controller which I don't exactly recall, then a transmission 'well, that's at least one time today'. At this point I realized that my aircraft was the one that the pilot had remarked about. I looked around and saw an light transport aircraft at my 3 O'clock position overtaking me in the same direction (north) and at the same altitude. I called center and told them I had traffic at 3 O'clock 1 mi. They responded roger, stating it was an light transport. No other action was taken. Apparently the light transport was overtaking me on the same arwy and altitude while we were both on IFR flight plans. There was no way I could have foreseen a conflict or taken evasive action. Fortunately the light transport crew was observant enough to see and avoid. If WX conditions were less favorable a midair may have resulted. Also, I so not understand why the center controller did not recognize the conflict. My plane was well equipped and had mode C installed and operating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE STANDARD RADAR SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO ACFT UNDER HIS CONTROL.

Narrative: ON 8/89, I WAS CONDUCTING A PLEASURE IFR FLT WITH 1 PAX FROM ROA TO DAY. THE FIRST SEGMENT OF THE FLT WAS FROM ROANOKE VOR TO EKN AT 8000'. WX CONDITIONS WERE IFR. WE WERE INTERMITTENTLY FLYING THROUGH CUMULUS BUILDUPS TOPS WITH GENERALLY IMPROVING VISIBILITY. CUMULUS CLOUDS WERE BECOMING SCATTERED WITH GOOD VISIBILITY OTHERWISE. WHILE ON THIS SEGMENT, CTL WAS WITH WASHINGTON CTR. AT THIS POINT I HEARD A RADIO XMISSION 'WHAT'S AN SMA DOING HERE'. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN EXCHANGE WITH THE CTR CTLR WHICH I DON'T EXACTLY RECALL, THEN A XMISSION 'WELL, THAT'S AT LEAST ONE TIME TODAY'. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED THAT MY ACFT WAS THE ONE THAT THE PLT HAD REMARKED ABOUT. I LOOKED AROUND AND SAW AN LTT ACFT AT MY 3 O'CLOCK POS OVERTAKING ME IN THE SAME DIRECTION (N) AND AT THE SAME ALT. I CALLED CTR AND TOLD THEM I HAD TFC AT 3 O'CLOCK 1 MI. THEY RESPONDED ROGER, STATING IT WAS AN LTT. NO OTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN. APPARENTLY THE LTT WAS OVERTAKING ME ON THE SAME ARWY AND ALT WHILE WE WERE BOTH ON IFR FLT PLANS. THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD HAVE FORESEEN A CONFLICT OR TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION. FORTUNATELY THE LTT CREW WAS OBSERVANT ENOUGH TO SEE AND AVOID. IF WX CONDITIONS WERE LESS FAVORABLE A MIDAIR MAY HAVE RESULTED. ALSO, I SO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE CTR CTLR DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE CONFLICT. MY PLANE WAS WELL EQUIPPED AND HAD MODE C INSTALLED AND OPERATING.

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.