VFR climb had a potential conflict with unreported traffic transiting area.

Attributes
ACN	81635
Time
Date	198802
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt airport : oai
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5600 msl bound upper : 5600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	81635
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After take off from a private strip in concord, nc en route to chapel hill, nc. I was climbing out. I was in contact with charlotte departure 126.15 and had been assigned a transponder code. I was taking care of normal climb out and navigation duties when I observed an small transport pass above and behind me at a distance closer than comfortable, but I would not consider it a near miss. I heard the small transport pilot talk to the controller about the traffic not being where he was told to look for him. I then told the controller I had seen the plane but it was late (meaning I had just seen him when we passed). The controller then told me that he had just seen my transponder come on (it had been turned on all along so I'm not sure exactly what he meant). The flight then continued uneventfully to chapel hill VFR at 7500'. I also had routine conversations with greensboro approach and raleigh approach on the way to my destination. Several yrs ago I was involved in a similar situation near columbia, sc where I was the plane at altitude of 10500' and a plane climbed out from below and passed near me. I was in contact with ZJX but he did not see the other plane (a turbo propeller) until we passed and separated. If you have questions please give me a call. I live in the greensboro, charlotte raleigh-durham area and the airspace is becoming quite congested. The controllers here seem quite helpful and efficient and do all they can to assist everyone in the system. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following. Reporter was using code 1200 on his transponder. Suspect the small transport pilot was confused as to the position of the reported traffic and was looking the wrong side. Was not too concerned but advised is finding it more and more difficult to get TA's account the increased traffic in the clt area. In general is satisfied with the system but is making every effort to stay clear of the new arsa areas, including avoiding flying over the top.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR CLIMB HAD A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH UNREPORTED TRAFFIC TRANSITING AREA.

Narrative: AFTER TAKE OFF FROM A PRIVATE STRIP IN CONCORD, NC ENRTE TO CHAPEL HILL, NC. I WAS CLBING OUT. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH CHARLOTTE DEP 126.15 AND HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A XPONDER CODE. I WAS TAKING CARE OF NORMAL CLBOUT AND NAV DUTIES WHEN I OBSERVED AN SMT PASS ABOVE AND BEHIND ME AT A DISTANCE CLOSER THAN COMFORTABLE, BUT I WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT A NEAR MISS. I HEARD THE SMT PLT TALK TO THE CTLR ABOUT THE TFC NOT BEING WHERE HE WAS TOLD TO LOOK FOR HIM. I THEN TOLD THE CTLR I HAD SEEN THE PLANE BUT IT WAS LATE (MEANING I HAD JUST SEEN HIM WHEN WE PASSED). THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD JUST SEEN MY XPONDER COME ON (IT HAD BEEN TURNED ON ALL ALONG SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT). THE FLT THEN CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY TO CHAPEL HILL VFR AT 7500'. I ALSO HAD ROUTINE CONVERSATIONS WITH GREENSBORO APCH AND RALEIGH APCH ON THE WAY TO MY DEST. SEVERAL YRS AGO I WAS INVOLVED IN A SIMILAR SITUATION NEAR COLUMBIA, SC WHERE I WAS THE PLANE AT ALT OF 10500' AND A PLANE CLBED OUT FROM BELOW AND PASSED NEAR ME. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZJX BUT HE DID NOT SEE THE OTHER PLANE (A TURBO PROP) UNTIL WE PASSED AND SEPARATED. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE GIVE ME A CALL. I LIVE IN THE GREENSBORO, CHARLOTTE RALEIGH-DURHAM AREA AND THE AIRSPACE IS BECOMING QUITE CONGESTED. THE CTLRS HERE SEEM QUITE HELPFUL AND EFFICIENT AND DO ALL THEY CAN TO ASSIST EVERYONE IN THE SYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING. RPTR WAS USING CODE 1200 ON HIS XPONDER. SUSPECT THE SMT PLT WAS CONFUSED AS TO THE POS OF THE RPTED TFC AND WAS LOOKING THE WRONG SIDE. WAS NOT TOO CONCERNED BUT ADVISED IS FINDING IT MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO GET TA'S ACCOUNT THE INCREASED TFC IN THE CLT AREA. IN GENERAL IS SATISFIED WITH THE SYS BUT IS MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO STAY CLR OF THE NEW ARSA AREAS, INCLUDING AVOIDING FLYING OVER THE TOP.

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