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PA34 pilot on IFR flight plan and in IMC reports apparent near midair collision with light twin just above the cloud layer.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 755851 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : sgd.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nct.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-34-200T Turbo Seneca II |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Route In Use | departure : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft Low Wing 2 Eng Retractable Gear |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 4968 flight time type : 3421 |
| ASRS Report | 755851 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
IFR climb out from apc; on ATC vector of 250 degrees. Passing 4600 ft MSL; saw shadow/outline of another aircraft momentarily and directly above; moving from my 9 to 3 O'clock position; so quickly I was unable to take evasive action. It appeared to be a propeller twin; approximately the same size as my aircraft. When I went VMC at 4700 ft MSL; I looked for the other aircraft; but saw nothing. I queried the ATC controller about the incident -- he stated that he 'didn't see anything near' me; but there were 'numerous targets in the napa area.' ATC was quite busy at the time; and would likely have missed an aircraft with its transponder off/inoperative and believe the other aircraft was flying just above the cloud tops; not squawking and talking to anyone -- scary.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA34 PILOT ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND IN IMC REPORTS APPARENT NMAC WITH LIGHT TWIN JUST ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER.
Narrative: IFR CLBOUT FROM APC; ON ATC VECTOR OF 250 DEGS. PASSING 4600 FT MSL; SAW SHADOW/OUTLINE OF ANOTHER ACFT MOMENTARILY AND DIRECTLY ABOVE; MOVING FROM MY 9 TO 3 O'CLOCK POS; SO QUICKLY I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. IT APPEARED TO BE A PROP TWIN; APPROX THE SAME SIZE AS MY ACFT. WHEN I WENT VMC AT 4700 FT MSL; I LOOKED FOR THE OTHER ACFT; BUT SAW NOTHING. I QUERIED THE ATC CTLR ABOUT THE INCIDENT -- HE STATED THAT HE 'DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING NEAR' ME; BUT THERE WERE 'NUMEROUS TARGETS IN THE NAPA AREA.' ATC WAS QUITE BUSY AT THE TIME; AND WOULD LIKELY HAVE MISSED AN ACFT WITH ITS XPONDER OFF/INOP AND BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT WAS FLYING JUST ABOVE THE CLOUD TOPS; NOT SQUAWKING AND TALKING TO ANYONE -- SCARY.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.