Small aircraft concerned about traffic not sighted penetrates air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	182794
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nrb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : nrb tower : crg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 206 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	182794
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was 7 mi southeast of craig (my destination) level at 2000' MSL when another aircraft came on the frequency and said they departed deep forest and were inbound landing. I got very uncomfortable because I was just north of deep forest. Controller asked me if I had traffic. I replied 'no joy.' the sun was setting in the northwest, the direction I should have headed, but the glare made me turn northeast. I knew the other aircraft could have been climbing. I kept turning northeast, and by the time I realized NAS mayport was right in front of me. I proceeded to over the top of mayport and turned on course. All I had to do was ask the controller what altitude the other aircraft was at. I assumed he would tell me, but I figured out after I landed that NFCT's probably don't have radar. The glare from the sun and knowing that I was very near the other aircraft made me very nervous.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC NOT SIGHTED PENETRATES ATA.

Narrative: I WAS 7 MI SE OF CRAIG (MY DEST) LEVEL AT 2000' MSL WHEN ANOTHER ACFT CAME ON THE FREQ AND SAID THEY DEPARTED DEEP FOREST AND WERE INBND LNDG. I GOT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE I WAS JUST N OF DEEP FOREST. CTLR ASKED ME IF I HAD TFC. I REPLIED 'NO JOY.' THE SUN WAS SETTING IN THE NW, THE DIRECTION I SHOULD HAVE HEADED, BUT THE GLARE MADE ME TURN NE. I KNEW THE OTHER ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN CLBING. I KEPT TURNING NE, AND BY THE TIME I REALIZED NAS MAYPORT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I PROCEEDED TO OVER THE TOP OF MAYPORT AND TURNED ON COURSE. ALL I HAD TO DO WAS ASK THE CTLR WHAT ALT THE OTHER ACFT WAS AT. I ASSUMED HE WOULD TELL ME, BUT I FIGURED OUT AFTER I LANDED THAT NFCT'S PROBABLY DON'T HAVE RADAR. THE GLARE FROM THE SUN AND KNOWING THAT I WAS VERY NEAR THE OTHER ACFT MADE ME VERY NERVOUS.

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.