Near midair collision in TCA.

Attributes
ACN	106980
Time
Date	198903
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1400
ASRS Report	106980
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Prior arrangements were made with ewr tower for an aerial photography mission. The planned route would originate from the west. When within range I would proceed direct to chatham NDB, then direct to the site located 5 mi northwest of ewr. After becoming disorientated,I immediately contacted ny approach for assistance. Radar contact was established. A clearance into the TCA and a vector heading was issued. The vector heading was maintained until it was counteracted by a 'proceed on course' clearance. At that point, I proceeded to my destination on what I considered to be the best possible route. While maintaining this course I spotted an aircraft at my 12 O'clock position, 1 mi, and approaching nearly head on. At approximately the same time the ny controller issued a collision alert. It is uncertain whether the controller issued this to me or the approaching aircraft. Controller's transmission: 'aircraft # unintelligible. Alert! Alert! Traffic 12 O'clock, distance unintelligible, 2400'!' by the time I started to turn right the aircraft passed to my lower left approximately 300' away. My indicated altitude was 2500' MSL, as assigned by ATC. In addition I verified that the altimeter setting was correct. Contributing factors: 1) peak hour operations. 2) controller's heavy workload. 3) both pilots' inability to recognize a collision hazard and maintain a safe sep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC IN TCA.

Narrative: PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE WITH EWR TWR FOR AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY MISSION. THE PLANNED ROUTE WOULD ORIGINATE FROM THE W. WHEN WITHIN RANGE I WOULD PROCEED DIRECT TO CHATHAM NDB, THEN DIRECT TO THE SITE LOCATED 5 MI NW OF EWR. AFTER BECOMING DISORIENTATED,I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED NY APCH FOR ASSISTANCE. RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. A CLRNC INTO THE TCA AND A VECTOR HDG WAS ISSUED. THE VECTOR HDG WAS MAINTAINED UNTIL IT WAS COUNTERACTED BY A 'PROCEED ON COURSE' CLRNC. AT THAT POINT, I PROCEEDED TO MY DEST ON WHAT I CONSIDERED TO BE THE BEST POSSIBLE ROUTE. WHILE MAINTAINING THIS COURSE I SPOTTED AN ACFT AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS, 1 MI, AND APCHING NEARLY HEAD ON. AT APPROX THE SAME TIME THE NY CTLR ISSUED A COLLISION ALERT. IT IS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE CTLR ISSUED THIS TO ME OR THE APCHING ACFT. CTLR'S XMISSION: 'ACFT # UNINTELLIGIBLE. ALERT! ALERT! TFC 12 O'CLOCK, DISTANCE UNINTELLIGIBLE, 2400'!' BY THE TIME I STARTED TO TURN RIGHT THE ACFT PASSED TO MY LOWER LEFT APPROX 300' AWAY. MY INDICATED ALT WAS 2500' MSL, AS ASSIGNED BY ATC. IN ADDITION I VERIFIED THAT THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS CORRECT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) PEAK HOUR OPS. 2) CTLR'S HEAVY WORKLOAD. 3) BOTH PLTS' INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE A COLLISION HAZARD AND MAINTAIN A SAFE SEP.

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.