Narrative:

Student pilot on local solo, returning to (nuw), whidbey island NAS from 'north practice area', level at 1900 ft MSL, on course 200 degree magnetic heading, at 110 mph, en route to 'refinery' check-in point for initial contact with whidbey tower for entry into class C airspace. A climbing aircraft departing from bvs runway 28, approached from my left. The climbing aircraft saw me first and took evasive action astern of me to avoid midair collision. I did not see this aircraft until just before we took evasive action. Incident location was approximately 4.5 mi northwest from bvs. My aircraft anti-collision light was on and operational. WX at the time was ideal: clear skies, unlimited visibility, calm winds (270 degrees/3-5 KTS), sunshine, ground temperature 75 degrees F. I technically had the 'right of way.' I contributed to the incident considering my location and failing to be extra observant as I followed my course inbound (training route) which was in the path of climbing and departing aircraft from bvs. I also should have maintained a listening watch longer on bvs CTAF 123.05 instead of switching all radios to nuw (ATIS, approach, tower and ground). In hindsight, a precautionary broadcast of my location/altitude and intentions to bvs 'traffic' might have alerted the oncoming aircraft. Contributing factors: student pilot on first local solo, my focus on getting ready to enter class C airspace and associated radio communications, navigating between 2 uncontrolled airports (anacortes (74S) and skagit bvs), pale blue color of my aircraft which probably did not provide good visual contrast with the cloudless blue sky. This incident has taught me how critical it is to make sure that visual scanning is maintained in all directions high and low -- all angles afforded by the aircraft viewing windows and to be extra vigilant in the vicinity of uncontrolled airports. I am most thankful that the other aircraft spotted me and yielded the right of way per rules regulating converging aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN 2 GA ACFT AT 1900 FT, 4 PT 5 NM NW OF BVS, WA.

Narrative: STUDENT PLT ON LCL SOLO, RETURNING TO (NUW), WHIDBEY ISLAND NAS FROM 'NORTH PRACTICE AREA', LEVEL AT 1900 FT MSL, ON COURSE 200 DEG MAGNETIC HDG, AT 110 MPH, ENRTE TO 'REFINERY' CHK-IN POINT FOR INITIAL CONTACT WITH WHIDBEY TWR FOR ENTRY INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE. A CLBING ACFT DEPARTING FROM BVS RWY 28, APCHED FROM MY L. THE CLBING ACFT SAW ME FIRST AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION ASTERN OF ME TO AVOID MIDAIR COLLISION. I DID NOT SEE THIS ACFT UNTIL JUST BEFORE WE TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. INCIDENT LOCATION WAS APPROX 4.5 MI NW FROM BVS. MY ACFT ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT WAS ON AND OPERATIONAL. WX AT THE TIME WAS IDEAL: CLR SKIES, UNLIMITED VISIBILITY, CALM WINDS (270 DEGS/3-5 KTS), SUNSHINE, GND TEMP 75 DEGS F. I TECHNICALLY HAD THE 'RIGHT OF WAY.' I CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT CONSIDERING MY LOCATION AND FAILING TO BE EXTRA OBSERVANT AS I FOLLOWED MY COURSE INBOUND (TRAINING RTE) WHICH WAS IN THE PATH OF CLBING AND DEPARTING ACFT FROM BVS. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED A LISTENING WATCH LONGER ON BVS CTAF 123.05 INSTEAD OF SWITCHING ALL RADIOS TO NUW (ATIS, APCH, TWR AND GND). IN HINDSIGHT, A PRECAUTIONARY BROADCAST OF MY LOCATION/ALT AND INTENTIONS TO BVS 'TFC' MIGHT HAVE ALERTED THE ONCOMING ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: STUDENT PLT ON FIRST LCL SOLO, MY FOCUS ON GETTING READY TO ENTER CLASS C AIRSPACE AND ASSOCIATED RADIO COMS, NAVING BTWN 2 UNCTLED ARPTS (ANACORTES (74S) AND SKAGIT BVS), PALE BLUE COLOR OF MY ACFT WHICH PROBABLY DID NOT PROVIDE GOOD VISUAL CONTRAST WITH THE CLOUDLESS BLUE SKY. THIS INCIDENT HAS TAUGHT ME HOW CRITICAL IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT VISUAL SCANNING IS MAINTAINED IN ALL DIRECTIONS HIGH AND LOW -- ALL ANGLES AFFORDED BY THE ACFT VIEWING WINDOWS AND TO BE EXTRA VIGILANT IN THE VICINITY OF UNCTLED ARPTS. I AM MOST THANKFUL THAT THE OTHER ACFT SPOTTED ME AND YIELDED THE RIGHT OF WAY PER RULES REGULATING CONVERGING ACFT.

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.