Close proximity 2 GA small aircraft near lsn air traffic area. Reporter was at wrong VFR altitude.

Attributes
ACN	126060
Time
Date	198910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lns
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lns
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500
ASRS Report	126060
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Although I have considerable recent, and cumulative experience, I do not operate in the ATC system on a regular basis (pilot is an ag pilot). The WX was cavu throughout the trip. Because of navigation obstacles (arsa, restr areas), I neglected to observe the VFR hemispherical rule after changing from a w-erly course to an e-erly course. My head was inside the cockpit for a longer than normal period during the change over from baltimore approach to harrisburg approach. My attention was further distracted as ATC had difficulty to identing us (they never did identify us, and because we were so close to lns we were just switched to lns tower). In the zone of confusion with ATC the other aircraft appeared from our 4 O'clock position at the same altitude. The other aircraft made no evasive maneuvers, nor did our aircraft. The 2 aircraft passed approximately 100 yds from one another. Somewhat mentally shaken, we landed at our destination, lns. On the return trip, still shaken, and west/O having time to evaluate the situation, I again selected an inappropriate altitude (with respect to VFR cardinal altitudes). This transgression was soon corrected west/O further occurrence of incident. With experience comes complacency. It is easy for a high time pilot to neglect the basic VFR rules (cardinal altitudes, VFR traffic sep), particularly in 'perfect VFR' WX. Hours in a log book and recent flight experience do not necessarily make on 'current.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 GA SMA NEAR LSN ATA. REPORTER WAS AT WRONG VFR ALT.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I HAVE CONSIDERABLE RECENT, AND CUMULATIVE EXPERIENCE, I DO NOT OPERATE IN THE ATC SYS ON A REGULAR BASIS (PLT IS AN AG PLT). THE WX WAS CAVU THROUGHOUT THE TRIP. BECAUSE OF NAV OBSTACLES (ARSA, RESTR AREAS), I NEGLECTED TO OBSERVE THE VFR HEMISPHERICAL RULE AFTER CHANGING FROM A W-ERLY COURSE TO AN E-ERLY COURSE. MY HEAD WAS INSIDE THE COCKPIT FOR A LONGER THAN NORMAL PERIOD DURING THE CHANGE OVER FROM BALTIMORE APCH TO HARRISBURG APCH. MY ATTN WAS FURTHER DISTRACTED AS ATC HAD DIFFICULTY TO IDENTING US (THEY NEVER DID IDENT US, AND BECAUSE WE WERE SO CLOSE TO LNS WE WERE JUST SWITCHED TO LNS TWR). IN THE ZONE OF CONFUSION WITH ATC THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED FROM OUR 4 O'CLOCK POS AT THE SAME ALT. THE OTHER ACFT MADE NO EVASIVE MANEUVERS, NOR DID OUR ACFT. THE 2 ACFT PASSED APPROX 100 YDS FROM ONE ANOTHER. SOMEWHAT MENTALLY SHAKEN, WE LANDED AT OUR DEST, LNS. ON THE RETURN TRIP, STILL SHAKEN, AND W/O HAVING TIME TO EVALUATE THE SITUATION, I AGAIN SELECTED AN INAPPROPRIATE ALT (WITH RESPECT TO VFR CARDINAL ALTS). THIS TRANSGRESSION WAS SOON CORRECTED W/O FURTHER OCCURRENCE OF INCIDENT. WITH EXPERIENCE COMES COMPLACENCY. IT IS EASY FOR A HIGH TIME PLT TO NEGLECT THE BASIC VFR RULES (CARDINAL ALTS, VFR TFC SEP), PARTICULARLY IN 'PERFECT VFR' WX. HRS IN A LOG BOOK AND RECENT FLT EXPERIENCE DO NOT NECESSARILY MAKE ON 'CURRENT.'

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.