Near midair collision between opposite direction same altitude traffic.

Attributes
ACN	285511
Time
Date	199410
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sgh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day tower : fmn
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	MU-2
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 4100 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	285571
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Shortly after leveling at 4500 ft MSL (proper hemispherical cruising altitude for our direction of flight), my copilot was confirming our position with ATC when 2 airplanes at our altitude, but opposite our direction, were encountered. One was a C-172 and the other was a piper cherokee. The piper passed off to the right first then the cessna off the left. We passed between the 2 sel's with little time to take evasive action. Our indicated airspeed was 240 KTS. We passed the cessna so closely that we felt its wake! We immediately called approach (who was giving us VFR flight following) and asked why we received no warning. ATC stated that he showed no targets in our vicinity. Contributing factors: pilots in mu-2 not maintaining enough traffic vigilance (complacency). Cessna and piper at wrong cruise altitude for direction of flight. ATC falling asleep at the scope. Mu-2 speed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN OPPOSITE DIRECTION SAME ALT TFC.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AT 4500 FT MSL (PROPER HEMISPHERICAL CRUISING ALT FOR OUR DIRECTION OF FLT), MY COPLT WAS CONFIRMING OUR POS WITH ATC WHEN 2 AIRPLANES AT OUR ALT, BUT OPPOSITE OUR DIRECTION, WERE ENCOUNTERED. ONE WAS A C-172 AND THE OTHER WAS A PIPER CHEROKEE. THE PIPER PASSED OFF TO THE R FIRST THEN THE CESSNA OFF THE L. WE PASSED BTWN THE 2 SEL'S WITH LITTLE TIME TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. OUR INDICATED AIRSPD WAS 240 KTS. WE PASSED THE CESSNA SO CLOSELY THAT WE FELT ITS WAKE! WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED APCH (WHO WAS GIVING US VFR FLT FOLLOWING) AND ASKED WHY WE RECEIVED NO WARNING. ATC STATED THAT HE SHOWED NO TARGETS IN OUR VICINITY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: PLTS IN MU-2 NOT MAINTAINING ENOUGH TFC VIGILANCE (COMPLACENCY). CESSNA AND PIPER AT WRONG CRUISE ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT. ATC FALLING ASLEEP AT THE SCOPE. MU-2 SPD.

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.