Narrative:

I was descending out of 6000 ft returning to the dan airport at the end of the flight. I apparently was on a narrowly converging course with an small aircraft Y that is also operated by our flight school. The small aircraft Y was below my small aircraft X and to the left, and since I was on the right side of the aircraft, I did not see the traffic until we were much too close for comfort. It appeared to me that the small aircraft Y was in level flight and possibly returning to the airport also. The unusually clear visibility was also a factor in my inability to spot the traffic since my eyes were focused much farther away. Since it was apparent to me that the other pilots did not see me either. I made a decision to turn through their flight path, yet far enough above and in front of them so as not to pose a hazard. The student in the small aircraft Y was not very amused by the situation, and even when told by his instructor of the ease in which near misses occur, still could not believe that I did not purposely 'buzz' his aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 SMA'S ENRTE TO HOME BASE, GET TOO CLOSE. EVASIVE ACTION TURN BY SMA X WAS CRITICIZED BY STUDENT PLT IN SMA Y.

Narrative: I WAS DSNDING OUT OF 6000 FT RETURNING TO THE DAN ARPT AT THE END OF THE FLT. I APPARENTLY WAS ON A NARROWLY CONVERGING COURSE WITH AN SMA Y THAT IS ALSO OPERATED BY OUR FLT SCHOOL. THE SMA Y WAS BELOW MY SMA X AND TO THE L, AND SINCE I WAS ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT, I DID NOT SEE THE TFC UNTIL WE WERE MUCH TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE SMA Y WAS IN LEVEL FLT AND POSSIBLY RETURNING TO THE ARPT ALSO. THE UNUSUALLY CLR VISIBILITY WAS ALSO A FACTOR IN MY INABILITY TO SPOT THE TFC SINCE MY EYES WERE FOCUSED MUCH FARTHER AWAY. SINCE IT WAS APPARENT TO ME THAT THE OTHER PLTS DID NOT SEE ME EITHER. I MADE A DECISION TO TURN THROUGH THEIR FLT PATH, YET FAR ENOUGH ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF THEM SO AS NOT TO POSE A HAZARD. THE STUDENT IN THE SMA Y WAS NOT VERY AMUSED BY THE SIT, AND EVEN WHEN TOLD BY HIS INSTRUCTOR OF THE EASE IN WHICH NEAR MISSES OCCUR, STILL COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT I DID NOT PURPOSELY 'BUZZ' HIS 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.