Near midair collision, 2 light civil aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	277567
Time
Date	199407
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : boi
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zlc
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 330
ASRS Report	277567
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

First notification by ATC was 'traffic 12-1 O'clock, 5 mi, opposite direction, 13800 ft, climbing.' (I was at 14000 ft.) warning acknowledged and scan by pilot and passenger began and pulse light turned on. Approximately 15 seconds later, the opposing traffic was spotted just right of the nose, slightly below, and on a potential collision course. As ATC called 'traffic collision alert, 1 mi, suggest you climb,' a rapid climbing left turn was already initiated. A white with green light twin passed about 200 ft below and 100 ft to our right (we climbed 200-400 ft). The controller reported that the target had just appeared on radar just before the advisory. Since the twin had altitude encoding, we should have provided primary and secondary targets on radar unless suppressed as a VFR target. Although 'see and avoid' was appropriate on this day with excellent visibility, it's difficult to find targets closing at 350 KTS, even with advisories. Perhaps the radar software could 'unsuppress' targets within 10-20 mi, especially when a traffic conflict is anticipated. Let's use the computer software to protect pilots, not just switch on controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC, 2 LIGHT CIVIL ACFT.

Narrative: FIRST NOTIFICATION BY ATC WAS 'TFC 12-1 O'CLOCK, 5 MI, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, 13800 FT, CLBING.' (I WAS AT 14000 FT.) WARNING ACKNOWLEDGED AND SCAN BY PLT AND PAX BEGAN AND PULSE LIGHT TURNED ON. APPROX 15 SECONDS LATER, THE OPPOSING TFC WAS SPOTTED JUST R OF THE NOSE, SLIGHTLY BELOW, AND ON A POTENTIAL COLLISION COURSE. AS ATC CALLED 'TFC COLLISION ALERT, 1 MI, SUGGEST YOU CLB,' A RAPID CLBING L TURN WAS ALREADY INITIATED. A WHITE WITH GREEN LIGHT TWIN PASSED ABOUT 200 FT BELOW AND 100 FT TO OUR R (WE CLBED 200-400 FT). THE CTLR RPTED THAT THE TARGET HAD JUST APPEARED ON RADAR JUST BEFORE THE ADVISORY. SINCE THE TWIN HAD ALT ENCODING, WE SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TARGETS ON RADAR UNLESS SUPPRESSED AS A VFR TARGET. ALTHOUGH 'SEE AND AVOID' WAS APPROPRIATE ON THIS DAY WITH EXCELLENT VISIBILITY, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND TARGETS CLOSING AT 350 KTS, EVEN WITH ADVISORIES. PERHAPS THE RADAR SOFTWARE COULD 'UNSUPPRESS' TARGETS WITHIN 10-20 MI, ESPECIALLY WHEN A TFC CONFLICT IS ANTICIPATED. LET'S USE THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE TO PROTECT PLTS, NOT JUST SWITCH ON CTLRS.

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.