GA small aircraft reported to have been too close to second GA-small aircraft and IFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	97905
Time
Date	198811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alo
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : alo
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 7500
ASRS Report	97905
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was told by the FAA office in des moines that it was alleged that I came within 500' vertical and 2-3 mi horizontal from an aircraft under waterloo approach control. My concern: I was squawking 1200 with a mode C transponder. Why was this allowed to happen? I was told of a glitch in the radar (possibly). I have been flying for 40 yrs I am safety conscious. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: small aircraft was maneuvering to stay away from WX and stay VFR. Pilot has private license and instrument rating but was not filed IFR because aircraft was not equipped. Now turns out since he was VFR not being accused of getting too close to other aircraft but of being VFR in IMC which he says he was not. FAA still investigating but since giving his information has heard nothing more from them. Other aircraft was light twin. Never given actual altitude when alleged incident occurred and cannot pinpoint as once clear of clouds above continued climb.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN TOO CLOSE TO SECOND GA-SMA AND IFR IN IMC.

Narrative: I WAS TOLD BY THE FAA OFFICE IN DES MOINES THAT IT WAS ALLEGED THAT I CAME WITHIN 500' VERT AND 2-3 MI HORIZ FROM AN ACFT UNDER WATERLOO APCH CTL. MY CONCERN: I WAS SQUAWKING 1200 WITH A MODE C TRANSPONDER. WHY WAS THIS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? I WAS TOLD OF A GLITCH IN THE RADAR (POSSIBLY). I HAVE BEEN FLYING FOR 40 YRS I AM SAFETY CONSCIOUS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: SMA WAS MANEUVERING TO STAY AWAY FROM WX AND STAY VFR. PLT HAS PVT LICENSE AND INSTRUMENT RATING BUT WAS NOT FILED IFR BECAUSE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED. NOW TURNS OUT SINCE HE WAS VFR NOT BEING ACCUSED OF GETTING TOO CLOSE TO OTHER ACFT BUT OF BEING VFR IN IMC WHICH HE SAYS HE WAS NOT. FAA STILL INVESTIGATING BUT SINCE GIVING HIS INFO HAS HEARD NOTHING MORE FROM THEM. OTHER ACFT WAS LIGHT TWIN. NEVER GIVEN ACTUAL ALT WHEN ALLEGED INCIDENT OCCURRED AND CANNOT PINPOINT AS ONCE CLEAR OF CLOUDS ABOVE CONTINUED CLB.

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.