A converging air carrier came in close proximity to a VFR aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	111002
Time
Date	198904
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hpn
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10500 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 5100
ASRS Report	111002
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Our aircraft was wbound on a heading of 270 degrees. Departure was made from hvn VFR with flight following. Out aircraft climbed to 10500' MSL with radar contact from ZNY. 10 mi east of hpn we were given a traffic advisory of 10 O'clock and 10000' MSL--an air carrier nwbound, level. We immediately sighted traffic and informed center of traffic in sight. Watching the air carrier, we determined that he had begun a climb. Our perception was that the air carrier was converging on our position. Our aircraft was quickly put into a climb to avoid a possible midair collision. After the air carrier passed under and possibly slightly behind us, we returned to our previous altitude of 10500' MSL after climbing to approximately 11100' MSL. We questioned the controller about the air carrier's altitude and center responded, 'the aircraft appears to be in a climb.' we informed the controller that the air carrier was climbing and they said that the air carrier was under a different controller's watch. We feel that the air carrier crew never sighted us and believe they were not given the advisory. Possible factors creating this occurrence include the air carrier being between controllers on a 'handoff' and the fact that our aircraft was VFR on a perfect day may have caused complacency about traffic sep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CONVERGING ACR CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO A VFR ACFT.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS WBOUND ON A HDG OF 270 DEGS. DEP WAS MADE FROM HVN VFR WITH FLT FOLLOWING. OUT ACFT CLBED TO 10500' MSL WITH RADAR CONTACT FROM ZNY. 10 MI E OF HPN WE WERE GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY OF 10 O'CLOCK AND 10000' MSL--AN ACR NWBOUND, LEVEL. WE IMMEDIATELY SIGHTED TFC AND INFORMED CENTER OF TFC IN SIGHT. WATCHING THE ACR, WE DETERMINED THAT HE HAD BEGUN A CLB. OUR PERCEPTION WAS THAT THE ACR WAS CONVERGING ON OUR POS. OUR ACFT WAS QUICKLY PUT INTO A CLB TO AVOID A POSSIBLE MIDAIR COLLISION. AFTER THE ACR PASSED UNDER AND POSSIBLY SLIGHTLY BEHIND US, WE RETURNED TO OUR PREVIOUS ALT OF 10500' MSL AFTER CLBING TO APPROX 11100' MSL. WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR ABOUT THE ACR'S ALT AND CENTER RESPONDED, 'THE ACFT APPEARS TO BE IN A CLB.' WE INFORMED THE CTLR THAT THE ACR WAS CLBING AND THEY SAID THAT THE ACR WAS UNDER A DIFFERENT CTLR'S WATCH. WE FEEL THAT THE ACR CREW NEVER SIGHTED US AND BELIEVE THEY WERE NOT GIVEN THE ADVISORY. POSSIBLE FACTORS CREATING THIS OCCURRENCE INCLUDE THE ACR BEING BTWN CTLRS ON A 'HDOF' AND THE FACT THAT OUR ACFT WAS VFR ON A PERFECT DAY MAY HAVE CAUSED COMPLACENCY ABOUT TFC 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.