Narrative:

Flight with non-flying friend. En route south toward sedona. I approached flg to within 3.68 NM GPS before recognizing that I had under-estimated distance (at 8000 ft MSL and 110 mph) I initiated a left 180 degree turn and was 30 degrees (approximately) into turn-back (to re-listen to ATIS and call flg tower) when mooney passed off right wingtip of my plane, appearing to be on heading parallel to and slightly west of freeway. I was talking to passenger instead of calling flg tower farther out, which may have alerted other aircraft. Passenger saw other aircraft passing and his quick head movement caused me to take notice and look away from direction I was turning. I continued turning left and looking for any other aircraft. I expected interfering traffic to be coming sbound, head-on. I felt compelled to re-listen to ATIS because it changes frequently and tower is insistent upon correct ATIS response. I misjudged distance from airport, intending to call a position at least 5 NM out and was surprised when I looked at GPS and saw 3.68 NM to airport and started a 180 degree turn. Concern with showing passenger the view and pointing out airport position ahead distraction me from positional awareness and radio use. Action was to fly reverse heading and re-approach airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE23 PLT BLUNDERED INTO FLG CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND HAD AN NMAC WITH A MOONEY ACFT.

Narrative: FLT WITH NON-FLYING FRIEND. ENRTE S TOWARD SEDONA. I APCHED FLG TO WITHIN 3.68 NM GPS BEFORE RECOGNIZING THAT I HAD UNDER-ESTIMATED DISTANCE (AT 8000 FT MSL AND 110 MPH) I INITIATED A L 180 DEG TURN AND WAS 30 DEGS (APPROX) INTO TURN-BACK (TO RE-LISTEN TO ATIS AND CALL FLG TWR) WHEN MOONEY PASSED OFF R WINGTIP OF MY PLANE, APPEARING TO BE ON HDG PARALLEL TO AND SLIGHTLY W OF FREEWAY. I WAS TALKING TO PAX INSTEAD OF CALLING FLG TWR FARTHER OUT, WHICH MAY HAVE ALERTED OTHER ACFT. PAX SAW OTHER ACFT PASSING AND HIS QUICK HEAD MOVEMENT CAUSED ME TO TAKE NOTICE AND LOOK AWAY FROM DIRECTION I WAS TURNING. I CONTINUED TURNING L AND LOOKING FOR ANY OTHER ACFT. I EXPECTED INTERFERING TFC TO BE COMING SBOUND, HEAD-ON. I FELT COMPELLED TO RE-LISTEN TO ATIS BECAUSE IT CHANGES FREQUENTLY AND TWR IS INSISTENT UPON CORRECT ATIS RESPONSE. I MISJUDGED DISTANCE FROM ARPT, INTENDING TO CALL A POS AT LEAST 5 NM OUT AND WAS SURPRISED WHEN I LOOKED AT GPS AND SAW 3.68 NM TO ARPT AND STARTED A 180 DEG TURN. CONCERN WITH SHOWING PAX THE VIEW AND POINTING OUT ARPT POS AHEAD DISTR ME FROM POSITIONAL AWARENESS AND RADIO USE. ACTION WAS TO FLY REVERSE HDG AND RE-APCH ARPT.

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.