Small aircraft near midair collision with opposite direction traffic at wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	260518
Time
Date	199312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tnp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tower : ege
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 1366 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	260518
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 25
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

An small aircraft high wing, old model, without n-numbers (large) or paint (non polished aluminum and zinc chromate panels) was on a reciprocal heading and level and passed very close on my right side. Appeared to have come out of the el cajon pass. I had just lost radar contact with ZLA and subsequently picked up joshua approach. My error was in not seeing the other aircraft sooner. He was at the wrong altitude, and the incident occurred where I have observed other aircraft coming out of the los angeles basin. There is a funnel of light aircraft in that vicinity, and I am always careful when traversing the area, but I just did not see this guy. I was quite upset at the time for not seeing him sooner and for his being at the wrong altitude. Radar coverage of the el cajon pass area would be a benefit to small aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA NMAC WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT WRONG ALT.

Narrative: AN SMA HIGH WING, OLD MODEL, WITHOUT N-NUMBERS (LARGE) OR PAINT (NON POLISHED ALUMINUM AND ZINC CHROMATE PANELS) WAS ON A RECIPROCAL HDG AND LEVEL AND PASSED VERY CLOSE ON MY R SIDE. APPEARED TO HAVE COME OUT OF THE EL CAJON PASS. I HAD JUST LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH ZLA AND SUBSEQUENTLY PICKED UP JOSHUA APCH. MY ERROR WAS IN NOT SEEING THE OTHER ACFT SOONER. HE WAS AT THE WRONG ALT, AND THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHERE I HAVE OBSERVED OTHER ACFT COMING OUT OF THE LOS ANGELES BASIN. THERE IS A FUNNEL OF LIGHT ACFT IN THAT VICINITY, AND I AM ALWAYS CAREFUL WHEN TRAVERSING THE AREA, BUT I JUST DID NOT SEE THIS GUY. I WAS QUITE UPSET AT THE TIME FOR NOT SEEING HIM SOONER AND FOR HIS BEING AT THE WRONG ALT. RADAR COVERAGE OF THE EL CAJON PASS AREA WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO SMALL 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.