Narrative:

Aircraft, a C172, departed runway 23 from 5b2 (an uncontrolled field) en route to ddh under VMC. Aircraft #1 was squawking 1200. A VFR flight plan was not filed. Aircraft #1 flew a heading of 185 degrees magnetic after reaching 1250 ft MSL. At a distance of approximately 3.75 NM, aircraft #1 turned to a heading of 112 degrees magnetic to bring the aircraft on course to ddh. Aircraft #1 proceeded on this heading and continued climbing to 3500 ft MSL. All maneuvers were announced on 122.8 (CTAF) by the pilot of aircraft #1. At an altitude of 2900 ft MSL at a distance of 15 NM on the alb 021 degree radial (southwest end of saratoga lake), aircraft #1 observed aircraft #2 at the 9:30 O'clock position approximately 100 ft higher in altitude at a horizontal distance of approximately 300 ft. Aircraft #2 was on an approximately heading of 200-205 degrees magnetic. No position/intention call was heard from aircraft #2. Aircraft #1 immediately entered a rapid descent to 2200 ft MSL. No evasion maneuver was performed by aircraft #2. Aircraft #1 was unable to read the tail number of aircraft #2. (Note: aircraft #2 was a single engine high wing airplane of unknown make and model. It was also not known if aircraft #2 was in cruise flight or was in a descent from a higher altitude at the time of the incident). Primary factors: 1) the pilot of aircraft #2 failed to maintain a visual scan and did not see aircraft #1. 2) the pilot of aircraft #2 failed to yield right-of-way to aircraft #1. 3) the pilot of aircraft #2 did not use the CTAF to announce his/her intentions while operating in the vicinity of 5b2. Secondary factors: 1) saratoga county airport was experiencing a high volume of traffic due to seasonal activity at the track. Several other airports in the area that use a frequency of 122.8 were also active. The radio frequency was very congested and 'self announcing' position and intentions was difficult. (Note: due to the volume of 'seasonally induced' radio traffic on 122.8 and in order to maintenance 'situational awareness' of the CTAF, the pilot of aircraft #1 was not in contact with and did not monitor the albany approach frequency. 2) aircraft #2 may have been in communication with albany approach since saratoga lake is a visual chkpoint for alb. If this was the cause, ATC failed to notify aircraft #2 of a traffic conflict with aircraft #1.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A C172 CLBING THROUGH 2900 FT MSL AND A HIGH WING SINGLE ENG ACFT LEVEL, OR DSNDING, XING THROUGH THE CESSNA'S FLT PATH. THE CESSNA TOOK A DIVE TO ASSURE AVOIDING THE OTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ACFT, A C172, DEPARTED RWY 23 FROM 5B2 (AN UNCTLED FIELD) ENRTE TO DDH UNDER VMC. ACFT #1 WAS SQUAWKING 1200. A VFR FLT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. ACFT #1 FLEW A HDG OF 185 DEGS MAGNETIC AFTER REACHING 1250 FT MSL. AT A DISTANCE OF APPROX 3.75 NM, ACFT #1 TURNED TO A HDG OF 112 DEGS MAGNETIC TO BRING THE ACFT ON COURSE TO DDH. ACFT #1 PROCEEDED ON THIS HDG AND CONTINUED CLBING TO 3500 FT MSL. ALL MANEUVERS WERE ANNOUNCED ON 122.8 (CTAF) BY THE PLT OF ACFT #1. AT AN ALT OF 2900 FT MSL AT A DISTANCE OF 15 NM ON THE ALB 021 DEG RADIAL (SW END OF SARATOGA LAKE), ACFT #1 OBSERVED ACFT #2 AT THE 9:30 O'CLOCK POS APPROX 100 FT HIGHER IN ALT AT A HORIZ DISTANCE OF APPROX 300 FT. ACFT #2 WAS ON AN APPROX HDG OF 200-205 DEGS MAGNETIC. NO POS/INTENTION CALL WAS HEARD FROM ACFT #2. ACFT #1 IMMEDIATELY ENTERED A RAPID DSCNT TO 2200 FT MSL. NO EVASION MANEUVER WAS PERFORMED BY ACFT #2. ACFT #1 WAS UNABLE TO READ THE TAIL NUMBER OF ACFT #2. (NOTE: ACFT #2 WAS A SINGLE ENG HIGH WING AIRPLANE OF UNKNOWN MAKE AND MODEL. IT WAS ALSO NOT KNOWN IF ACFT #2 WAS IN CRUISE FLT OR WAS IN A DSCNT FROM A HIGHER ALT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT). PRIMARY FACTORS: 1) THE PLT OF ACFT #2 FAILED TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL SCAN AND DID NOT SEE ACFT #1. 2) THE PLT OF ACFT #2 FAILED TO YIELD RIGHT-OF-WAY TO ACFT #1. 3) THE PLT OF ACFT #2 DID NOT USE THE CTAF TO ANNOUNCE HIS/HER INTENTIONS WHILE OPERATING IN THE VICINITY OF 5B2. SECONDARY FACTORS: 1) SARATOGA COUNTY ARPT WAS EXPERIENCING A HIGH VOLUME OF TFC DUE TO SEASONAL ACTIVITY AT THE TRACK. SEVERAL OTHER ARPTS IN THE AREA THAT USE A FREQ OF 122.8 WERE ALSO ACTIVE. THE RADIO FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED AND 'SELF ANNOUNCING' POS AND INTENTIONS WAS DIFFICULT. (NOTE: DUE TO THE VOLUME OF 'SEASONALLY INDUCED' RADIO TFC ON 122.8 AND IN ORDER TO MAINT 'SITUATIONAL AWARENESS' OF THE CTAF, THE PLT OF ACFT #1 WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH AND DID NOT MONITOR THE ALBANY APCH FREQ. 2) ACFT #2 MAY HAVE BEEN IN COM WITH ALBANY APCH SINCE SARATOGA LAKE IS A VISUAL CHKPOINT FOR ALB. IF THIS WAS THE CAUSE, ATC FAILED TO NOTIFY ACFT #2 OF A TFC CONFLICT WITH ACFT #1.

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.