DA40 pilot reports near midair collision with C172.

Attributes
ACN	797651
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 7b2.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	DA40 Diamond Star
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 650 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	797651
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was descending into 7b2; with VFR flight following from 11500 ft. Had been handed off from ZBW to alb approach to bdl approach. I was unable to read bdl on the assigned frequency; but could hear them intermittently calling other aircraft. The WX was VFR with scattered to broken cumulus. I was maneuvering to remain VFR. My aircraft is tis equipped; and I was receiving intermittent hits of an aircraft below and behind me. As I was descending through 5500 ft; I turned off the squelch and was able to raise bdl. He advised of traffic near me but said it might be a ghost image. I then got a tis alert and saw the aircraft at my 8 O'clock position passing directly over me in a southeast direction. Reported to bdl. Aircraft was not communicating with him (nor was he required to). No evasive action on my part nor on the other aircraft's. Contributing factor may also have been fatigue; as I was returning from a trip; with several stops to drop off passenger; and had been at 11500 ft for about 2 hours. I am a non smoker and a runner; but still had to be somewhat affected.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DA40 PLT REPORTS NMAC WITH C172.

Narrative: I WAS DSNDING INTO 7B2; WITH VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM 11500 FT. HAD BEEN HANDED OFF FROM ZBW TO ALB APCH TO BDL APCH. I WAS UNABLE TO READ BDL ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ; BUT COULD HEAR THEM INTERMITTENTLY CALLING OTHER ACFT. THE WX WAS VFR WITH SCATTERED TO BROKEN CUMULUS. I WAS MANEUVERING TO REMAIN VFR. MY ACFT IS TIS EQUIPPED; AND I WAS RECEIVING INTERMITTENT HITS OF AN ACFT BELOW AND BEHIND ME. AS I WAS DSNDING THROUGH 5500 FT; I TURNED OFF THE SQUELCH AND WAS ABLE TO RAISE BDL. HE ADVISED OF TFC NEAR ME BUT SAID IT MIGHT BE A GHOST IMAGE. I THEN GOT A TIS ALERT AND SAW THE ACFT AT MY 8 O'CLOCK POS PASSING DIRECTLY OVER ME IN A SE DIRECTION. RPTED TO BDL. ACFT WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH HIM (NOR WAS HE REQUIRED TO). NO EVASIVE ACTION ON MY PART NOR ON THE OTHER ACFT'S. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN FATIGUE; AS I WAS RETURNING FROM A TRIP; WITH SEVERAL STOPS TO DROP OFF PAX; AND HAD BEEN AT 11500 FT FOR ABOUT 2 HRS. I AM A NON SMOKER AND A RUNNER; BUT STILL HAD TO BE SOMEWHAT AFFECTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.