Narrative:

In june 89, I was preparing to depart mckinnon field in brunswick, GA for an IFR flight. Due to center delays I was advised by the macon FSS to depart VFR and pick up my clearance from jacksonville center. I departed VFR and climbed in a wide orbit over the field while contacting jacksonville center. Upon initial contact they were unable to give me my clearance so I continued to climb. At approximately 6000' MSL in the climb I received traffic information from the center concerning a target that was at 7000' level, northbound. I never saw the called traffic. At approximately 6800' the controller 'suggested' that I level at 6500' to avoid any potential conflict with the northbound traffic. I began a rapid pushover to stop prior to 7000', but was unable to arrest the descent until 7200'. At that time, center asked the northbound traffic if they had ever seen me at which time the traffic replied that they had a near miss with a twin. The pilot further stated that it had been less than 500' between aircraft. The controller then asked if I was orbiting the field and for what purpose. I responded that I was climbing VFR waiting to receive my clearance and did not want to depart on course until I had received it, even though the WX was good VMC. I eventually received clearance and completed the flight uneventfully. The irony of all this is that if I had continued my climb instead of leveling off I would have most probably not come anywhere close to the other aircraft. I felt the controller made an error in judgement in suggesting that I level off at a certain altitude in order to avoid a potential conflict. Since I was operating under visual flight rules I had every right ot be where I was and doing what I was doing. I feel the controller definitely contributed to this hazard with his suggestion and I contributed to it because of mindlessly accepting his suggestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC WHILE IN A VFR CLIMB.

Narrative: IN JUNE 89, I WAS PREPARING TO DEPART MCKINNON FIELD IN BRUNSWICK, GA FOR AN IFR FLT. DUE TO CENTER DELAYS I WAS ADVISED BY THE MACON FSS TO DEPART VFR AND PICK UP MY CLRNC FROM JACKSONVILLE CENTER. I DEPARTED VFR AND CLIMBED IN A WIDE ORBIT OVER THE FIELD WHILE CONTACTING JACKSONVILLE CENTER. UPON INITIAL CONTACT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE ME MY CLRNC SO I CONTINUED TO CLIMB. AT APPROX 6000' MSL IN THE CLIMB I RECEIVED TFC INFO FROM THE CENTER CONCERNING A TARGET THAT WAS AT 7000' LEVEL, NBND. I NEVER SAW THE CALLED TFC. AT APPROX 6800' THE CTLR 'SUGGESTED' THAT I LEVEL AT 6500' TO AVOID ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH THE NBOUND TFC. I BEGAN A RAPID PUSHOVER TO STOP PRIOR TO 7000', BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DSCNT UNTIL 7200'. AT THAT TIME, CENTER ASKED THE NBOUND TFC IF THEY HAD EVER SEEN ME AT WHICH TIME THE TFC REPLIED THAT THEY HAD A NEAR MISS WITH A TWIN. THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT IT HAD BEEN LESS THAN 500' BETWEEN ACFT. THE CTLR THEN ASKED IF I WAS ORBITING THE FIELD AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE. I RESPONDED THAT I WAS CLIMBING VFR WAITING TO RECEIVE MY CLRNC AND DID NOT WANT TO DEPART ON COURSE UNTIL I HAD RECEIVED IT, EVEN THOUGH THE WX WAS GOOD VMC. I EVENTUALLY RECEIVED CLRNC AND COMPLETED THE FLT UNEVENTFULLY. THE IRONY OF ALL THIS IS THAT IF I HAD CONTINUED MY CLIMB INSTEAD OF LEVELING OFF I WOULD HAVE MOST PROBABLY NOT COME ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE OTHER ACFT. I FELT THE CTLR MADE AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT IN SUGGESTING THAT I LEVEL OFF AT A CERTAIN ALT IN ORDER TO AVOID A POTENTIAL CONFLICT. SINCE I WAS OPERATING UNDER VISUAL FLT RULES I HAD EVERY RIGHT OT BE WHERE I WAS AND DOING WHAT I WAS DOING. I FEEL THE CTLR DEFINITELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS HAZARD WITH HIS SUGGESTION AND I CONTRIBUTED TO IT BECAUSE OF MINDLESSLY ACCEPTING HIS SUGGESTION.

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.