Narrative:

I was en route from 4b8 to een. Bradley approach had terminated radar service several mins previously. I was flying an small aircraft X which we had recently purchased. For aircraft familiarity, I decided to do a power off stall and a lazy-eight. I was off the victor arwys, southwest of orange, ma, airport at 3500'. I performed an 'south' clearing turn and the stall. After a few seconds, I performed another 'south' clearing turn, and entered the lazy-eight at about 3000'. I started heading north. About halfway through the second half of the maneuver, heading approximately northeast, I spotted an small aircraft Y heading west at about 3500'. I flew below and behind him. He apparently saw, as he turned north to parallel my course for a few seconds. Contributing to the close proximity of our aircraft were several factors. Although the flight visibility was reasonably good at the altitude, I just did not see the small aircraft Y, in spite of 2 clearing turns within a few mins. Although I was off the arwys, it probably would have been a good idea to find a local practice area. Finally, I did not expect to see an airplane cruising west at an eastbound altitude. Next time I'll look.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA, PERFORMING PRACTICE MANEUVERS HAS NMAC WITH ANOTHER SMA.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM 4B8 TO EEN. BRADLEY APCH HAD TERMINATED RADAR SVC SEVERAL MINS PREVIOUSLY. I WAS FLYING AN SMA X WHICH WE HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED. FOR ACFT FAMILIARITY, I DECIDED TO DO A PWR OFF STALL AND A LAZY-EIGHT. I WAS OFF THE VICTOR ARWYS, SW OF ORANGE, MA, ARPT AT 3500'. I PERFORMED AN 'S' CLRING TURN AND THE STALL. AFTER A FEW SECS, I PERFORMED ANOTHER 'S' CLRING TURN, AND ENTERED THE LAZY-EIGHT AT ABOUT 3000'. I STARTED HDG N. ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF THE MANEUVER, HDG APPROX NE, I SPOTTED AN SMA Y HDG W AT ABOUT 3500'. I FLEW BELOW AND BEHIND HIM. HE APPARENTLY SAW, AS HE TURNED N TO PARALLEL MY COURSE FOR A FEW SECS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE CLOSE PROX OF OUR ACFT WERE SEVERAL FACTORS. ALTHOUGH THE FLT VISIBILITY WAS REASONABLY GOOD AT THE ALT, I JUST DID NOT SEE THE SMA Y, IN SPITE OF 2 CLRING TURNS WITHIN A FEW MINS. ALTHOUGH I WAS OFF THE ARWYS, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA TO FIND A LCL PRACTICE AREA. FINALLY, I DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE AN AIRPLANE CRUISING W AT AN EBND ALT. NEXT TIME I'LL LOOK.

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.