Narrative:

On the last leg of a return trip from dxr to hef dulles approach vectored me to the VFR flyway. The controller informed me that I was out of his airspace and clear of the TCA. At that point I was further north than I thought. I turned right to what looked like lights around hef. Off my right wing I saw the other aircraft climbing towards me. I turned left and continued a descent to avoid and the other pilot turned to his left to avoid. Just before I saw the other aircraft is when I had realized that I was inside the TCA. After the other aircraft passed I contacted dulles approach and requested radar vectors to hef. This could have been avoided if I had informed the controller that I was unfamiliar with the area north of hef at night and requested vectors to hef sooner, or requested direct to csn VOR and an area where I was familiar with the lights at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TOLD CLR OF TCA BY ATC. SIGHTED CLOSING TFC, TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. REENTERS TCA.

Narrative: ON THE LAST LEG OF A RETURN TRIP FROM DXR TO HEF DULLES APCH VECTORED ME TO THE VFR FLYWAY. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS OUT OF HIS AIRSPACE AND CLR OF THE TCA. AT THAT POINT I WAS FURTHER N THAN I THOUGHT. I TURNED R TO WHAT LOOKED LIKE LIGHTS AROUND HEF. OFF MY R WING I SAW THE OTHER ACFT CLBING TOWARDS ME. I TURNED L AND CONTINUED A DSCNT TO AVOID AND THE OTHER PLT TURNED TO HIS L TO AVOID. JUST BEFORE I SAW THE OTHER ACFT IS WHEN I HAD REALIZED THAT I WAS INSIDE THE TCA. AFTER THE OTHER ACFT PASSED I CONTACTED DULLES APCH AND REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO HEF. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA N OF HEF AT NIGHT AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO HEF SOONER, OR REQUESTED DIRECT TO CSN VOR AND AN AREA WHERE I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LIGHTS AT NIGHT.

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.