Small aircraft on training NDB approach has near midair collision with small transport.

Attributes
ACN	157215
Time
Date	199009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1750 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	157215
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Conducting practice approachs at pae. Being vectored for mdb 16, after low approach from VOR 34. Advised of small transport orbiting #1 and other traffic, #2. When I verified traffic in sight, cleared direct NDB. Traffic #2 was low and passed out of the picture to the east. When first sighted #1 small transport was westbound. When I again looked up he had reversed course and was closing from my left. I asked center to repeat the small transport altitude, which I had forgotten, at that point I dropped down 100' and the small transport seemed to climb. Center replied '2200 direct no, now climbing to 2400, he must have seen you.' I was at 2000'. I should have paid more attention to the traffic and less to the NDB, then I would have caught his course reversal. I think the controller erred in allowing the converging courses when our altitudes were so similar. I think the small transport was VFR and doing some type of equipment evaluation. I was concentrating on my instrument work. We both did, evidently, a just adequate job of looking for traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON TRAINING NDB APCH HAS NMAC WITH SMT.

Narrative: CONDUCTING PRACTICE APCHS AT PAE. BEING VECTORED FOR MDB 16, AFTER LOW APCH FROM VOR 34. ADVISED OF SMT ORBITING #1 AND OTHER TFC, #2. WHEN I VERIFIED TFC IN SIGHT, CLRED DIRECT NDB. TFC #2 WAS LOW AND PASSED OUT OF THE PICTURE TO THE E. WHEN FIRST SIGHTED #1 SMT WAS WBND. WHEN I AGAIN LOOKED UP HE HAD REVERSED COURSE AND WAS CLOSING FROM MY L. I ASKED CTR TO REPEAT THE SMT ALT, WHICH I HAD FORGOTTEN, AT THAT POINT I DROPPED DOWN 100' AND THE SMT SEEMED TO CLB. CTR REPLIED '2200 DIRECT NO, NOW CLBING TO 2400, HE MUST HAVE SEEN YOU.' I WAS AT 2000'. I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO THE TFC AND LESS TO THE NDB, THEN I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT HIS COURSE REVERSAL. I THINK THE CTLR ERRED IN ALLOWING THE CONVERGING COURSES WHEN OUR ALTS WERE SO SIMILAR. I THINK THE SMT WAS VFR AND DOING SOME TYPE OF EQUIP EVALUATION. I WAS CONCENTRATING ON MY INSTRUMENT WORK. WE BOTH DID, EVIDENTLY, A JUST ADEQUATE JOB OF LOOKING FOR TFC.

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.