Narrative:

WX was worse than forecast with low visibility and ceiling due to fog. Center and approach were very busy. All aircraft, pilots, and controllers appeared to be interfacing efficiently. I was northbound on V69 with a clearance to the jot airport via jot VOR. I am familiar with the procedures and airspace as this is my home base. I was assigned 4000 ft and was on my altitude but becoming uncomfortable because we were close to the jot VOR and had not received a lower altitude, clearance, or vectors for approach as would be normal. Also, due to volume of traffic, I found it difficult to find a place to 'remind' controller of our position. We were VFR conditions (above overcast) on IFR flight plan when on my left I saw an large transport at my altitude. It took a moment to react as the large transport appeared to turn slightly toward me (perhaps tracking to the jot VOR). I then started a descent as the large transport raised its nose in the turn that crossed in front of me. As my eyes were outside I don't know the extent of my altitude deviation, but when I looked back inside (after the incident) we were climbing and 250 ft below assigned altitude. During this time, I transmitted our concern regarding the 'heavy' at our 9 O'clock position and crossing. I was then vectored northwest and descended for the approach without incident. Suggestions: jet aircraft should not be operating below 12000 ft that far from their destination. As my house is located near this place, I constantly see air transport type aircraft operating at 5000 ft. Occasionally it appears to be lower and have often remarked that this is a time bomb situation. Wouldn't it have been ironic if I would have been part of that bomb. Our present TCA system that brings mixed traffic together at low altitudes is ridiculous.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT DURING AN ALTDEV ALT OVERSHOT.

Narrative: WX WAS WORSE THAN FORECAST WITH LOW VISIBILITY AND CEILING DUE TO FOG. CTR AND APCH WERE VERY BUSY. ALL ACFT, PLTS, AND CTLRS APPEARED TO BE INTERFACING EFFICIENTLY. I WAS NBOUND ON V69 WITH A CLRNC TO THE JOT ARPT VIA JOT VOR. I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCS AND AIRSPACE AS THIS IS MY HOME BASE. I WAS ASSIGNED 4000 FT AND WAS ON MY ALT BUT BECOMING UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE WE WERE CLOSE TO THE JOT VOR AND HAD NOT RECEIVED A LOWER ALT, CLRNC, OR VECTORS FOR APCH AS WOULD BE NORMAL. ALSO, DUE TO VOLUME OF TFC, I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A PLACE TO 'REMIND' CTLR OF OUR POS. WE WERE VFR CONDITIONS (ABOVE OVERCAST) ON IFR FLT PLAN WHEN ON MY L I SAW AN LGT AT MY ALT. IT TOOK A MOMENT TO REACT AS THE LGT APPEARED TO TURN SLIGHTLY TOWARD ME (PERHAPS TRACKING TO THE JOT VOR). I THEN STARTED A DSCNT AS THE LGT RAISED ITS NOSE IN THE TURN THAT CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME. AS MY EYES WERE OUTSIDE I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF MY ALTDEV, BUT WHEN I LOOKED BACK INSIDE (AFTER THE INCIDENT) WE WERE CLBING AND 250 FT BELOW ASSIGNED ALT. DURING THIS TIME, I XMITTED OUR CONCERN REGARDING THE 'HVY' AT OUR 9 O'CLOCK POS AND XING. I WAS THEN VECTORED NW AND DSNDED FOR THE APCH WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUGGESTIONS: JET ACFT SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING BELOW 12000 FT THAT FAR FROM THEIR DEST. AS MY HOUSE IS LOCATED NEAR THIS PLACE, I CONSTANTLY SEE AIR TRANSPORT TYPE ACFT OPERATING AT 5000 FT. OCCASIONALLY IT APPEARS TO BE LOWER AND HAVE OFTEN REMARKED THAT THIS IS A TIME BOMB SITUATION. WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN IRONIC IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT BOMB. OUR PRESENT TCA SYS THAT BRINGS MIXED TFC TOGETHER AT LOW ALTS IS RIDICULOUS.

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.