VFR PA28 pilot with mco approach receiving TA's experienced near midair collision with unrpted traff...

Attributes
ACN	633941
Time
Date	200410
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orl.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 150 flight time type : 95
ASRS Report	633941
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While en route from leesburg regional (lee) to melbourne international (mlb) at 5500 ft I was receiving VFR TA's from orlando approach on 119.4. I was told to fly a course of 160 degrees and had been doing so for several mins. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a bright light and strobes of another aircraft, I suspect that he may have been either climbing or descending as that would explain why I didn't see him until the last moment. As soon as I spotted the aircraft he flew directly over the top of my aircraft at no more than 50 ft. The event happened so fast that I had no time to react. I called approach immediately after to report a plane that passed within 50-100 ft. The controller replied that the traffic had 'just popped up, but was reporting no altitude.' I replied that the aircraft was definitely at my altitude, 5500 ft. Unfortunately, I believe that I did everything I could to avoid the situation, receiving TA's and scanning for traffic. However, it is important to know that even in a radar environment traffic can still go undetected, especially when scanning for traffic visually against a brightly light background.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR PA28 PLT WITH MCO APCH RECEIVING TA'S EXPERIENCED NMAC WITH UNRPTED TFC AT 5500 FT.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM LEESBURG REGIONAL (LEE) TO MELBOURNE INTL (MLB) AT 5500 FT I WAS RECEIVING VFR TA'S FROM ORLANDO APCH ON 119.4. I WAS TOLD TO FLY A COURSE OF 160 DEGS AND HAD BEEN DOING SO FOR SEVERAL MINS. OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE I CAUGHT A BRIGHT LIGHT AND STROBES OF ANOTHER ACFT, I SUSPECT THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN EITHER CLBING OR DSNDING AS THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY I DIDN'T SEE HIM UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. AS SOON AS I SPOTTED THE ACFT HE FLEW DIRECTLY OVER THE TOP OF MY ACFT AT NO MORE THAN 50 FT. THE EVENT HAPPENED SO FAST THAT I HAD NO TIME TO REACT. I CALLED APCH IMMEDIATELY AFTER TO RPT A PLANE THAT PASSED WITHIN 50-100 FT. THE CTLR REPLIED THAT THE TFC HAD 'JUST POPPED UP, BUT WAS RPTING NO ALT.' I REPLIED THAT THE ACFT WAS DEFINITELY AT MY ALT, 5500 FT. UNFORTUNATELY, I BELIEVE THAT I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO AVOID THE SIT, RECEIVING TA'S AND SCANNING FOR TFC. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT EVEN IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT TFC CAN STILL GO UNDETECTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN SCANNING FOR TFC VISUALLY AGAINST A BRIGHTLY LIGHT BACKGROUND.

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.

VFR PA28 pilot with mco approach receiving TA's experienced near midair collision with unrpted traffic at 5500 ft.