Narrative:

We had departed lan in small aircraft X on a pleasure flight along with 12 other aircraft. We were participating in an air rally and scavenger flight. After completing the questions for the rally, we departed and proceeded to our night chkpoint, approximately 20 NM on the lan 120 degree right. Departure gave us a squawk code, asked our en route altitude, which was 3000' MSL. Capitol city is 961' MSL, therefore we were below 3000' AGL and the VFR e-w rule. After takeoff tower handed us off to departure. I noticed that all departing aircraft were having some difficulty with departure control. Nothing specific, but in general departure headings were assigned and the aircraft that departed before us were not given on course for several mins. Nothing the delay in departure response, I reported in again and got on course clearance. While flying to our next rally chkpoint we were on the 120 degree right and departure control called traffic at 1 O'clock, same altitude. I reported no contact and continued on course. Several mins later departure said, 'turn left 090 degrees for traffic.' I turned left and rolled out on 090 degrees when the right seat passenger screamed, 'airplane...!' I looked up and saw an small aircraft Y in my windshield at the same altitude approximately on 360 degree heading. I pushed full forward elevator. The small aircraft Y pulled up to their left and we missed by less than 50'. After regaining my composure, I advised departure that 'a right turn for traffic would been better!' she acknowledged solemnly, 'roger, XXX!'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA, CRUISING IN ARSA IN PROPER CONTACT WITH ATC, DOES NOT SIGHT ADVISED TRAFFIC, THEN IS GIVEN SAFETY ADVISORY TURN FOR TRAFFIC, BUT HAS NMAC NEVERTHELESS.

Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED LAN IN SMA X ON A PLEASURE FLT ALONG WITH 12 OTHER ACFT. WE WERE PARTICIPATING IN AN AIR RALLY AND SCAVENGER FLT. AFTER COMPLETING THE QUESTIONS FOR THE RALLY, WE DEPARTED AND PROCEEDED TO OUR NIGHT CHKPOINT, APPROX 20 NM ON THE LAN 120 DEG R. DEP GAVE US A SQUAWK CODE, ASKED OUR ENRTE ALT, WHICH WAS 3000' MSL. CAPITOL CITY IS 961' MSL, THEREFORE WE WERE BELOW 3000' AGL AND THE VFR E-W RULE. AFTER TKOF TWR HANDED US OFF TO DEP. I NOTICED THAT ALL DEPARTING ACFT WERE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH DEP CTL. NOTHING SPECIFIC, BUT IN GENERAL DEP HDGS WERE ASSIGNED AND THE ACFT THAT DEPARTED BEFORE US WERE NOT GIVEN ON COURSE FOR SEVERAL MINS. NOTHING THE DELAY IN DEP RESPONSE, I RPTED IN AGAIN AND GOT ON COURSE CLRNC. WHILE FLYING TO OUR NEXT RALLY CHKPOINT WE WERE ON THE 120 DEG R AND DEP CTL CALLED TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK, SAME ALT. I RPTED NO CONTACT AND CONTINUED ON COURSE. SEVERAL MINS LATER DEP SAID, 'TURN LEFT 090 DEGS FOR TFC.' I TURNED LEFT AND ROLLED OUT ON 090 DEGS WHEN THE RIGHT SEAT PAX SCREAMED, 'AIRPLANE...!' I LOOKED UP AND SAW AN SMA Y IN MY WINDSHIELD AT THE SAME ALT APPROX ON 360 DEG HDG. I PUSHED FULL FORWARD ELEVATOR. THE SMA Y PULLED UP TO THEIR LEFT AND WE MISSED BY LESS THAN 50'. AFTER REGAINING MY COMPOSURE, I ADVISED DEP THAT 'A RIGHT TURN FOR TFC WOULD BEEN BETTER!' SHE ACKNOWLEDGED SOLEMNLY, 'ROGER, XXX!'

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.