PA34 pilot and a cirrus aircraft had less than comfortable separation in ZDV class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	603609
Time
Date	200312
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mle.airport
State Reference	NE
Altitude	msl single value : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cirrus Acft Undifferentiated
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1942 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	603609
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Miss Distance	horizontal : 900 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was in a VFR descent into millard (mle) airport. I was dividing my attention inside and outside the aircraft scanning for traffic and setting radio frequencys for my destination airport. I looked up to see an aircraft that was close enough to tell it was a cirrus at a distance of 800-1000 ft ahead of me, slightly below my altitude. The other aircraft crossed in front of me from my right to left, it was on a northerly heading. It appeared out of nowhere. This incident reinforced the need for increased vigilance in scanning for traffic. I will endeavor to scan more effectively in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34 PLT AND A CIRRUS ACFT HAD LESS THAN COMFORTABLE SEPARATION IN ZDV CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS IN A VFR DSCNT INTO MILLARD (MLE) ARPT. I WAS DIVIDING MY ATTN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ACFT SCANNING FOR TFC AND SETTING RADIO FREQS FOR MY DEST ARPT. I LOOKED UP TO SEE AN ACFT THAT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO TELL IT WAS A CIRRUS AT A DISTANCE OF 800-1000 FT AHEAD OF ME, SLIGHTLY BELOW MY ALT. THE OTHER ACFT CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME FROM MY R TO L, IT WAS ON A NORTHERLY HDG. IT APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE. THIS INCIDENT REINFORCED THE NEED FOR INCREASED VIGILANCE IN SCANNING FOR TFC. I WILL ENDEAVOR TO SCAN MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE FUTURE.

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.