Near midair collision GA small aircraft GA small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	93790
Time
Date	198809
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ipl airport : cxl
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	93790
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I had climbed out of calexico and was level at 3000'. I had just passed imperial airport to my right. My head was in and out of the cockpit, scanning ahead and to the right. The airplane was new to me. One hour in this aircraft and about 300 plus in type. I was trying to see if autoplt would track on trm. For some reason, I looked to the left. At about 90 degree, I noticed a small aircraft in a left turn and descent. I don't know whether we had been on a collision course or what, but we were uncomfortably close. I was tracking trm at the time at a constant altitude and radial when this occurred. Certainly one way to help prevent this occurrence would be to scan more to the left and right and not just straight ahead. Also, any time someone goes to a different aircraft, even though it is the same type, he should spend a sufficient time in the cockpit, maybe on more than 1 occasion, to be completely familiar with the layout of the instruments and switches.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC GA SMA GA SMA.

Narrative: I HAD CLBED OUT OF CALEXICO AND WAS LEVEL AT 3000'. I HAD JUST PASSED IMPERIAL ARPT TO MY RIGHT. MY HEAD WAS IN AND OUT OF THE COCKPIT, SCANNING AHEAD AND TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NEW TO ME. ONE HR IN THIS ACFT AND ABOUT 300 PLUS IN TYPE. I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF AUTOPLT WOULD TRACK ON TRM. FOR SOME REASON, I LOOKED TO THE LEFT. AT ABOUT 90 DEG, I NOTICED A SMALL ACFT IN A LEFT TURN AND DSCNT. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE HAD BEEN ON A COLLISION COURSE OR WHAT, BUT WE WERE UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE. I WAS TRACKING TRM AT THE TIME AT A CONSTANT ALT AND RADIAL WHEN THIS OCCURRED. CERTAINLY ONE WAY TO HELP PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD BE TO SCAN MORE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT AND NOT JUST STRAIGHT AHEAD. ALSO, ANY TIME SOMEONE GOES TO A DIFFERENT ACFT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME TYPE, HE SHOULD SPEND A SUFFICIENT TIME IN THE COCKPIT, MAYBE ON MORE THAN 1 OCCASION, TO BE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH THE LAYOUT OF THE INSTRUMENTS AND SWITCHES.

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.