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Small aircraft pilot inbound for landing had near midair collision with aerial surveillance aircraft near a fire area.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 121798 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198909 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sts |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v108 |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 48 flight time total : 859 |
| ASRS Report | 121798 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
VFR flight from smo to sts. I had been cruising at 16,500' and receiving advisories from los angeles and oakland centers since takeoff. I cancelled advisories at about 20 NM from sts with field in sight so I could change to tower. No final traffic advisories given. From about 75 NM southeast of sts I could see smoke coming from ground, apparently a fire. It seemed to be less smoke as I got closer. I contacted sts tower at 12-13 out and landing instructions received. I had looked for any sign of aerial tankers (fire fighters) and none seen. At about 10 DME southeast of sts on V-108 as I passed about 1-2 NM east of source of smoke, I suddenly saw an small transport at 12 O'clock and slightly higher. I increased rate of descent and turned right and passed under him by about 400'. (This plane is used for aerial surveillance of fires to direct ground crews and tankers.) in retrospect it would have been better to deviate off my direct course so as to not have passed so close to the fire even though I initially did not see any aerial traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT INBOUND FOR LNDG HAD NMAC WITH AERIAL SURVEILLANCE ACFT NEAR A FIRE AREA.
Narrative: VFR FLT FROM SMO TO STS. I HAD BEEN CRUISING AT 16,500' AND RECEIVING ADVISORIES FROM LOS ANGELES AND OAKLAND CENTERS SINCE TKOF. I CANCELLED ADVISORIES AT ABOUT 20 NM FROM STS WITH FIELD IN SIGHT SO I COULD CHANGE TO TWR. NO FINAL TFC ADVISORIES GIVEN. FROM ABOUT 75 NM SE OF STS I COULD SEE SMOKE COMING FROM GND, APPARENTLY A FIRE. IT SEEMED TO BE LESS SMOKE AS I GOT CLOSER. I CONTACTED STS TWR AT 12-13 OUT AND LNDG INSTRUCTIONS RECEIVED. I HAD LOOKED FOR ANY SIGN OF AERIAL TANKERS (FIRE FIGHTERS) AND NONE SEEN. AT ABOUT 10 DME SE OF STS ON V-108 AS I PASSED ABOUT 1-2 NM E OF SOURCE OF SMOKE, I SUDDENLY SAW AN SMT AT 12 O'CLOCK AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER. I INCREASED RATE OF DSCNT AND TURNED RIGHT AND PASSED UNDER HIM BY ABOUT 400'. (THIS PLANE IS USED FOR AERIAL SURVEILLANCE OF FIRES TO DIRECT GND CREWS AND TANKERS.) IN RETROSPECT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO DEVIATE OFF MY DIRECT COURSE SO AS TO NOT HAVE PASSED SO CLOSE TO THE FIRE EVEN THOUGH I INITIALLY DID NOT SEE ANY AERIAL TFC.
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.