Narrative:

While in cruise at 4500 ft MSL on a magnetic heading of 190 degrees, I observed a piper multi-engine aircraft climbing directly towards me from my 11 O'clock. I banked sharply to the right using full aileron and rudder and dove in order to avoid a mid-air collision. I was receiving radar service (VFR), had an assigned squawk code, and was in radar contact. The traffic was never called by ATC. When I reported the near collision to the controller working me, he replied 'roger, flight XXXX.' had I not been maintaining a scan, I would not be filing this report. Especially in single-pilot operations, it is important to maintain separation without depending on ATC when in the VFR environment. This incident occurred in a matter of seconds (3). What if I'd been tuning a radio frequency or looking at a chart? This incident emphasized to me the importance of keeping one's head out of the flight deck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A SMA SEL AND A SMT TWIN.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT 4500 FT MSL ON A MAGNETIC HDG OF 190 DEGS, I OBSERVED A PIPER MULTI-ENG ACFT CLBING DIRECTLY TOWARDS ME FROM MY 11 O'CLOCK. I BANKED SHARPLY TO THE R USING FULL AILERON AND RUDDER AND DOVE IN ORDER TO AVOID A MID-AIR COLLISION. I WAS RECEIVING RADAR SVC (VFR), HAD AN ASSIGNED SQUAWK CODE, AND WAS IN RADAR CONTACT. THE TFC WAS NEVER CALLED BY ATC. WHEN I RPTED THE NEAR COLLISION TO THE CTLR WORKING ME, HE REPLIED 'ROGER, FLT XXXX.' HAD I NOT BEEN MAINTAINING A SCAN, I WOULD NOT BE FILING THIS RPT. ESPECIALLY IN SINGLE-PLT OPS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION WITHOUT DEPENDING ON ATC WHEN IN THE VFR ENVIRONMENT. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS (3). WHAT IF I'D BEEN TUNING A RADIO FREQ OR LOOKING AT A CHART? THIS INCIDENT EMPHASIZED TO ME THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING ONE'S HEAD OUT OF THE FLT DECK.

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.