Narrative:

Aircraft descending bdf-plano heading 052 degrees (see chicago area) to dpa. ATIS: 1100' overcast, 5F-wind 2815, land and depart runway 28.' out of 4000' approach turned us right to 070 degrees, left to 010 degrees, 350, descend (in steps) to 2600'. He said he could clear us for the VOR 28 circle to land immediately, but the ILS would result in 'considerable delay.' we took the VOR. He vectored us nearly on top of dpa, then 'turn left to 068 inbound, clearance for the approach. Contact tower now!' all at once the following occurred: we called tower, broke out at about 1900' MSL (1100' AGL) and watched an small aircraft pass from 11 to 5 O'clock about 150 yds ahead, 150' below. Were only terrified for 2.65 seconds--long enough. Tower replied, 'report fox river.' we replied, 'well past fox river on departure end of active 1900'.' controller turned us right to left downwind. No further problems. No one complained. I doubt anyone else recognized anything was wrong, but we do. How do we prevent this? 1) obviously, the small aircraft did not have VFR sep, but I much prefer not having to rely on the other fellow for safety. 2) we knew before plano from ATIS that we would be approaching toward VFR traffic departing, yet we proceeded as if we had guaranteed sep all the way to the restroom. 3) approach turned us loose almost over the FAA. A little more time might have helped. 4) tower didn't know where we were, exactly. By the time we all agreed on our position, our problem had passed under us. 5) circling approachs are not even for the birds. I do not use them in restr visibility, or much below 800' AGL. I now think they are even more dangers in barely VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ON IFR APCH VECTORS DESCENDED THROUGH CLOUDS, HAD NMAC WITH SMA.

Narrative: ACFT DSNDING BDF-PLANO HDG 052 DEGS (SEE CHICAGO AREA) TO DPA. ATIS: 1100' OVCST, 5F-WIND 2815, LAND AND DEPART RWY 28.' OUT OF 4000' APCH TURNED US RIGHT TO 070 DEGS, LEFT TO 010 DEGS, 350, DSND (IN STEPS) TO 2600'. HE SAID HE COULD CLR US FOR THE VOR 28 CIRCLE TO LAND IMMEDIATELY, BUT THE ILS WOULD RESULT IN 'CONSIDERABLE DELAY.' WE TOOK THE VOR. HE VECTORED US NEARLY ON TOP OF DPA, THEN 'TURN LEFT TO 068 INBND, CLRNC FOR THE APCH. CONTACT TWR NOW!' ALL AT ONCE THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED: WE CALLED TWR, BROKE OUT AT ABOUT 1900' MSL (1100' AGL) AND WATCHED AN SMA PASS FROM 11 TO 5 O'CLOCK ABOUT 150 YDS AHEAD, 150' BELOW. WERE ONLY TERRIFIED FOR 2.65 SECS--LONG ENOUGH. TWR REPLIED, 'RPT FOX RIVER.' WE REPLIED, 'WELL PAST FOX RIVER ON DEP END OF ACTIVE 1900'.' CTLR TURNED US RIGHT TO LEFT DOWNWIND. NO FURTHER PROBS. NO ONE COMPLAINED. I DOUBT ANYONE ELSE RECOGNIZED ANYTHING WAS WRONG, BUT WE DO. HOW DO WE PREVENT THIS? 1) OBVIOUSLY, THE SMA DID NOT HAVE VFR SEP, BUT I MUCH PREFER NOT HAVING TO RELY ON THE OTHER FELLOW FOR SAFETY. 2) WE KNEW BEFORE PLANO FROM ATIS THAT WE WOULD BE APCHING TOWARD VFR TFC DEPARTING, YET WE PROCEEDED AS IF WE HAD GUARANTEED SEP ALL THE WAY TO THE RESTROOM. 3) APCH TURNED US LOOSE ALMOST OVER THE FAA. A LITTLE MORE TIME MIGHT HAVE HELPED. 4) TWR DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE, EXACTLY. BY THE TIME WE ALL AGREED ON OUR POS, OUR PROB HAD PASSED UNDER US. 5) CIRCLING APCHS ARE NOT EVEN FOR THE BIRDS. I DO NOT USE THEM IN RESTR VISIBILITY, OR MUCH BELOW 800' AGL. I NOW THINK THEY ARE EVEN MORE DANGERS IN BARELY VFR.

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.