Narrative:

On this instrument training flight, I issued the student a holding pattern as published on the instrument approach chart for 4n1. We were flying generally wbound into the setting sun. Because it was also hazy, the horizontal forward visibility was reduced, although the visibility was in general pretty good. The combination of the sun and the haze made it difficult to see any traffic straight ahead, even though I was wearing sunglasses. Because we were near a VOR, I was already using extra caution in scanning for traffic. My student asked a question relating to the approach chart and I looked over to answer his question and 'point' him in the right direction. When I looked up, I found myself in a near-miss situation with a beech bonanza, coming exactly over the top of me in the exact opposite direction, less than 50 ft above me. It was already too late for any corrective action. 2 complex airplanes were approaching head on, with an estimated closure speed between 250 and 300 KTS. Although I was monitoring new york approach control, for the majority of the flight, I did not call them for advisories. I know from experience that the radar has problems picking up traffic near sparta at or below 3000 ft and therefore it didn't make much sense to call them. It seemed like the bonanza pilot did not see us either, since he did not take any corrective action. We will have to use more and more continuous good scanning techniques, especially in 'high- risk' environment like sun/haze combo, near a VOR. It would also be great if the new york approach control radar could lower its coverage to maybe 2000 ft or so, if at all possible for that particular area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: ON THIS INST TRAINING FLT, I ISSUED THE STUDENT A HOLDING PATTERN AS PUBLISHED ON THE INST APCH CHART FOR 4N1. WE WERE FLYING GENERALLY WBOUND INTO THE SETTING SUN. BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO HAZY, THE HORIZ FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED, ALTHOUGH THE VISIBILITY WAS IN GENERAL PRETTY GOOD. THE COMBINATION OF THE SUN AND THE HAZE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE ANY TFC STRAIGHT AHEAD, EVEN THOUGH I WAS WEARING SUNGLASSES. BECAUSE WE WERE NEAR A VOR, I WAS ALREADY USING EXTRA CAUTION IN SCANNING FOR TFC. MY STUDENT ASKED A QUESTION RELATING TO THE APCH CHART AND I LOOKED OVER TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION AND 'POINT' HIM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WHEN I LOOKED UP, I FOUND MYSELF IN A NEAR-MISS SIT WITH A BEECH BONANZA, COMING EXACTLY OVER THE TOP OF ME IN THE EXACT OPPOSITE DIRECTION, LESS THAN 50 FT ABOVE ME. IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE FOR ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. 2 COMPLEX AIRPLANES WERE APCHING HEAD ON, WITH AN ESTIMATED CLOSURE SPD BTWN 250 AND 300 KTS. ALTHOUGH I WAS MONITORING NEW YORK APCH CTL, FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE FLT, I DID NOT CALL THEM FOR ADVISORIES. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT THE RADAR HAS PROBS PICKING UP TFC NEAR SPARTA AT OR BELOW 3000 FT AND THEREFORE IT DIDN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO CALL THEM. IT SEEMED LIKE THE BONANZA PLT DID NOT SEE US EITHER, SINCE HE DID NOT TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. WE WILL HAVE TO USE MORE AND MORE CONTINUOUS GOOD SCANNING TECHNIQUES, ESPECIALLY IN 'HIGH- RISK' ENVIRONMENT LIKE SUN/HAZE COMBO, NEAR A VOR. IT WOULD ALSO BE GREAT IF THE NEW YORK APCH CTL RADAR COULD LOWER ITS COVERAGE TO MAYBE 2000 FT OR SO, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR AREA.

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.