Close proximity 2 GA aircraft opposite direction on airway northeast of vih.

Attributes
ACN	155216
Time
Date	199008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vih
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v14
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	155216
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on an IFR training flight at 5000' MSL in solid IMC. Tops of the overcast were approximately 6500' and clear above. ZKC called out traffic, '12 O'clock, 5 mi swbnd, VFR altitude indicates 6300 unverified, appears to be descending.' I acknowledged and requested that he keep us informed. At that time we were level at 5000' nebnd on V14 near vih VORTAC. Shortly later ZKC advised 'traffic now 12 O'clock, 3 mi swbnd, 5700' descending.' I immediately requested a vector to clear the traffic and ZKC responded with a 45 degree heading change to the north, followed by a further turn to the northwest. According to center, the traffic cleared less than 1 mi to our right while descending through our altitude VFR in solid IMC! If this aircraft did not have mode C or ZKC was too busy to provide me with the traffic advisories, we very likely would have collided with this VFR pilot in IFR WX. I think the VFR aircraft was trapped on top of the overcast and decided to drop through west/O getting help from ATC. He may have thought he was in the middle of nowhere, but he was no a busy arwy. Thank god for mode C xponders--they should be required in all aircraft!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 GA ACFT OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON AIRWAY NORTHEAST OF VIH.

Narrative: WE WERE ON AN IFR TRNING FLT AT 5000' MSL IN SOLID IMC. TOPS OF THE OVCST WERE APPROX 6500' AND CLR ABOVE. ZKC CALLED OUT TFC, '12 O'CLOCK, 5 MI SWBND, VFR ALT INDICATES 6300 UNVERIFIED, APPEARS TO BE DSNDING.' I ACKNOWLEDGED AND REQUESTED THAT HE KEEP US INFORMED. AT THAT TIME WE WERE LEVEL AT 5000' NEBND ON V14 NEAR VIH VORTAC. SHORTLY LATER ZKC ADVISED 'TFC NOW 12 O'CLOCK, 3 MI SWBND, 5700' DSNDING.' I IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED A VECTOR TO CLR THE TFC AND ZKC RESPONDED WITH A 45 DEG HDG CHANGE TO THE N, FOLLOWED BY A FURTHER TURN TO THE NW. ACCORDING TO CENTER, THE TFC CLRED LESS THAN 1 MI TO OUR RIGHT WHILE DSNDING THROUGH OUR ALT VFR IN SOLID IMC! IF THIS ACFT DID NOT HAVE MODE C OR ZKC WAS TOO BUSY TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE TFC ADVISORIES, WE VERY LIKELY WOULD HAVE COLLIDED WITH THIS VFR PLT IN IFR WX. I THINK THE VFR ACFT WAS TRAPPED ON TOP OF THE OVCST AND DECIDED TO DROP THROUGH W/O GETTING HELP FROM ATC. HE MAY HAVE THOUGHT HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, BUT HE WAS NO A BUSY ARWY. THANK GOD FOR MODE C XPONDERS--THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED IN ALL ACFT!

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.