A private small aircraft pilot made several errors and had an near midair collision. He was VFR in I...

Attributes
ACN	209683
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 370 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	209683
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed monterey for flight north along coast 3500 ft until I passed ano nuevo reserve north of santa cruz -- no fog -- visibility 10 mi. Went to 500 ft MSL over ocean close to coast. As I neared half moon bay, called unicom to announce position. Another aircraft announced IMC around half moon bay, which I didn't see. Started to climb to 2500 ft but entered IMC near half moon bay airport. Announced position (by LORAN) again -- no problem in IMC since instrument rated, but could have had collision since visibility equaled 0. Climbed to near 3000 ft MSL to be 1000 ft above fog, but this is top of sfo TCA -- may have intruded into sfo TCA. Proceeded along coast trying to stay below 3000 ft MSL. Clear above fog. Flight inland to woodland after point reyes was at 5800 ft, heading 130 degrees. Around sonoma aircraft flies under me approximately 300 ft directly below. -- Near miss. Problem -- I wasn't scanning enough. Problems -- reasons: 1. Had called for WX direct woodland from mry but at last min flew up coast -- not aware of fog -- didn't get update WX. 2. Usually use flight following, but at 500 ft MSL below coast range -- not possible. 3. Near miss -- not scanning enough -- usually use flight following but did not wish to speak to ATC for fear of discovery of earlier possible TCA incursion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PRIVATE SMA PLT MADE SEVERAL ERRORS AND HAD AN NMAC. HE WAS VFR IN IMC AND MAY HAVE PENETRATED THE SFO TCA.

Narrative: DEPARTED MONTEREY FOR FLT N ALONG COAST 3500 FT UNTIL I PASSED ANO NUEVO RESERVE N OF SANTA CRUZ -- NO FOG -- VISIBILITY 10 MI. WENT TO 500 FT MSL OVER OCEAN CLOSE TO COAST. AS I NEARED HALF MOON BAY, CALLED UNICOM TO ANNOUNCE POS. ANOTHER ACFT ANNOUNCED IMC AROUND HALF MOON BAY, WHICH I DIDN'T SEE. STARTED TO CLB TO 2500 FT BUT ENTERED IMC NEAR HALF MOON BAY ARPT. ANNOUNCED POS (BY LORAN) AGAIN -- NO PROBLEM IN IMC SINCE INST RATED, BUT COULD HAVE HAD COLLISION SINCE VISIBILITY EQUALED 0. CLBED TO NEAR 3000 FT MSL TO BE 1000 FT ABOVE FOG, BUT THIS IS TOP OF SFO TCA -- MAY HAVE INTRUDED INTO SFO TCA. PROCEEDED ALONG COAST TRYING TO STAY BELOW 3000 FT MSL. CLR ABOVE FOG. FLT INLAND TO WOODLAND AFTER POINT REYES WAS AT 5800 FT, HDG 130 DEGS. AROUND SONOMA ACFT FLIES UNDER ME APPROX 300 FT DIRECTLY BELOW. -- NEAR MISS. PROBLEM -- I WASN'T SCANNING ENOUGH. PROBLEMS -- REASONS: 1. HAD CALLED FOR WX DIRECT WOODLAND FROM MRY BUT AT LAST MIN FLEW UP COAST -- NOT AWARE OF FOG -- DIDN'T GET UPDATE WX. 2. USUALLY USE FLT FOLLOWING, BUT AT 500 FT MSL BELOW COAST RANGE -- NOT POSSIBLE. 3. NEAR MISS -- NOT SCANNING ENOUGH -- USUALLY USE FLT FOLLOWING BUT DID NOT WISH TO SPEAK TO ATC FOR FEAR OF DISCOVERY OF EARLIER POSSIBLE TCA INCURSION.

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.

A private small aircraft pilot made several errors and had an near midair collision. He was VFR in IMC and may have penetrated the sfo TCA.