Narrative:

The flight proceeded uneventfully until we began our VFR descent approaching the north shore of cay island. New york approach airspace is characteristically congested with a mix of airline, commuter, business, pleasure, military and training flts, especially mid-afternoon on a good VFR day. Both the captain and I were constantly scanning the area for traffic. Upon completing the cockpit items I informed him I'd be leaving the frequency to call company and brief the passengers and we confirmed he'd guard the #1 communication frequency (standard company procedure). As I moved my audio selector knob to the 'PA' detent I scanned left for traffic and noticed captain's head turned away, also checking left for traffic. Scanning through 12 O'clock, I glanced down to confirm my selector knob on 'PA' and resumed scan from 12 O'clock clockwise returning from 5 O'clock back toward front I saw a blue and white small aircraft appear from the 3 O'clock position converging and very close. (He had apparently been blocked by the wing and engine nacelle during my first sweep of the area). I yelled 'hard left' to captain, commanding evasive action and expecting an immediate response. I realized in an instant he couldn't hear me since our audio panels automatically cut out the crew interphone/hot microphone function when the 'PA' feature is selected. A quick glance in his direction confirmed he was still looking out the left window, unaware of the converging traffic. With no options left I grabbed the yoke and rudder pedals and rolled decisively into a climbing left turn with about 30 degree bank angle. I looked back in time to see the small aircraft roll into a diving left turn. He must have seen us at the last moment as well. The small aircraft passed well clear, below and behind our aircraft, though close enough that I could plainly read the local flying school logo on the side of the aircraft.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT HAS NMAC WITH SMA JUST OUTSIDE THE ARSA.

Narrative: THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY UNTIL WE BEGAN OUR VFR DSCNT APCHING THE N SHORE OF CAY ISLAND. NEW YORK APCH AIRSPACE IS CHARACTERISTICALLY CONGESTED WITH A MIX OF AIRLINE, COMMUTER, BUSINESS, PLEASURE, MIL AND TRAINING FLTS, ESPECIALLY MID-AFTERNOON ON A GOOD VFR DAY. BOTH THE CAPT AND I WERE CONSTANTLY SCANNING THE AREA FOR TFC. UPON COMPLETING THE COCKPIT ITEMS I INFORMED HIM I'D BE LEAVING THE FREQ TO CALL COMPANY AND BRIEF THE PAXS AND WE CONFIRMED HE'D GUARD THE #1 COM FREQ (STANDARD COMPANY PROC). AS I MOVED MY AUDIO SELECTOR KNOB TO THE 'PA' DETENT I SCANNED L FOR TFC AND NOTICED CAPT'S HEAD TURNED AWAY, ALSO CHKING L FOR TFC. SCANNING THROUGH 12 O'CLOCK, I GLANCED DOWN TO CONFIRM MY SELECTOR KNOB ON 'PA' AND RESUMED SCAN FROM 12 O'CLOCK CLOCKWISE RETURNING FROM 5 O'CLOCK BACK TOWARD FRONT I SAW A BLUE AND WHITE SMA APPEAR FROM THE 3 O'CLOCK POS CONVERGING AND VERY CLOSE. (HE HAD APPARENTLY BEEN BLOCKED BY THE WING AND ENG NACELLE DURING MY FIRST SWEEP OF THE AREA). I YELLED 'HARD L' TO CAPT, COMMANDING EVASIVE ACTION AND EXPECTING AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. I REALIZED IN AN INSTANT HE COULDN'T HEAR ME SINCE OUR AUDIO PANELS AUTOMATICALLY CUT OUT THE CREW INTERPHONE/HOT MIKE FUNCTION WHEN THE 'PA' FEATURE IS SELECTED. A QUICK GLANCE IN HIS DIRECTION CONFIRMED HE WAS STILL LOOKING OUT THE L WINDOW, UNAWARE OF THE CONVERGING TFC. WITH NO OPTIONS LEFT I GRABBED THE YOKE AND RUDDER PEDALS AND ROLLED DECISIVELY INTO A CLBING L TURN WITH ABOUT 30 DEG BANK ANGLE. I LOOKED BACK IN TIME TO SEE THE SMA ROLL INTO A DIVING L TURN. HE MUST HAVE SEEN US AT THE LAST MOMENT AS WELL. THE SMA PASSED WELL CLR, BELOW AND BEHIND OUR ACFT, THOUGH CLOSE ENOUGH THAT I COULD PLAINLY READ THE LCL FLYING SCHOOL LOGO ON THE SIDE OF THE ACFT.

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.