Small aircraft in TCA has near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	257960
Time
Date	199311
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3400
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	257960
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Radar controller had assigned me the altitude to cross wbound directly over airport. He told me that my mode C readout indicated me to be 400 ft higher than assigned. I understood the controller for me to stay at that altitude. When I saw approaching traffic, I called controller to verify assigned altitude and at that time the aircraft passed each other. The controller said that I should be at the first assigned altitude. I could not hear any other traffic on the frequency until the aircraft passed each other. I believe the controller was running too many sectors and not coordinating traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA IN TCA HAS NMAC.

Narrative: RADAR CTLR HAD ASSIGNED ME THE ALT TO CROSS WBOUND DIRECTLY OVER ARPT. HE TOLD ME THAT MY MODE C READOUT INDICATED ME TO BE 400 FT HIGHER THAN ASSIGNED. I UNDERSTOOD THE CTLR FOR ME TO STAY AT THAT ALT. WHEN I SAW APCHING TFC, I CALLED CTLR TO VERIFY ASSIGNED ALT AND AT THAT TIME THE ACFT PASSED EACH OTHER. THE CTLR SAID THAT I SHOULD BE AT THE FIRST ASSIGNED ALT. I COULD NOT HEAR ANY OTHER TFC ON THE FREQ UNTIL THE ACFT PASSED EACH OTHER. I BELIEVE THE CTLR WAS RUNNING TOO MANY SECTORS AND NOT COORDINATING TFC.

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.