Narrative:

Cessna announced position in same area. I located it well below no problem. On looking back to horizon level, I saw a cherokee slightly higher, head-on. It appeared to be descending slightly. I rolled hard right and down, then left to re- establish visual contact as other aircraft passed. I saw no evasive action by the other aircraft. Other pilot (instructor from N96 nearby) called later to complain about his student being alarmed. I learned that N96 and their training area are on opposite sides of the very busy unv (commuters, bizjets, other GA, but no flight school). Contributing factors: distraction by third aircraft. Correction: better lookout needed by all concerned. Use of landing lights by all aircraft operating in area would help. Repositioning of training area to a site nearer N96 would help. Position of training areas should be posted at all area airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC. PVT PLT OF AN SEL SMA TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING AND DSNDING TO AVOID A CHEROKEE COMING HEAD-ON DURING CRUISE.

Narrative: CESSNA ANNOUNCED POS IN SAME AREA. I LOCATED IT WELL BELOW NO PROB. ON LOOKING BACK TO HORIZON LEVEL, I SAW A CHEROKEE SLIGHTLY HIGHER, HEAD-ON. IT APPEARED TO BE DSNDING SLIGHTLY. I ROLLED HARD R AND DOWN, THEN L TO RE- ESTABLISH VISUAL CONTACT AS OTHER ACFT PASSED. I SAW NO EVASIVE ACTION BY THE OTHER ACFT. OTHER PLT (INSTRUCTOR FROM N96 NEARBY) CALLED LATER TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HIS STUDENT BEING ALARMED. I LEARNED THAT N96 AND THEIR TRAINING AREA ARE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE VERY BUSY UNV (COMMUTERS, BIZJETS, OTHER GA, BUT NO FLT SCHOOL). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DISTR BY THIRD ACFT. CORRECTION: BETTER LOOKOUT NEEDED BY ALL CONCERNED. USE OF LNDG LIGHTS BY ALL ACFT OPERATING IN AREA WOULD HELP. REPOSITIONING OF TRAINING AREA TO A SITE NEARER N96 WOULD HELP. POS OF TRAINING AREAS SHOULD BE POSTED AT ALL AREA ARPTS.

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.