Narrative:

WX conditions were changeable. I was circling at 7000', in a clear area at least 7 mi in diameter. I could clearly see the saranac lake, adirondack regional area, airport below me and blue sky above at 10000'. A 15 passenger was departing on a SID, IFR, to plattsburg, ny. I was descending from 7000' for a landing while the airport was still VFR, as snow squalls were continually causing the field to go IFR. I was talking to unicom and advising them I was landing, before the field went IFR again. The light transport heard me on unicom and asked that I hold at 7000' until he passed me; that he was on a SID. I advised him that I was northeast of the field, visibility and descending. I was not familiar with the SID and where it would take him. At 4300' my passenger wife, advised me that we had just passed another plane. The other pilot saw me. I didn't see him as I was in a left turn and he was off to my right side going in the opposite direction. Our closing speeds were in excess of 360 mph. I continued my descent and landed uneventfully. Of course I was shaken by the experience. The field went IFR again about 15 mins later. I believe the other flight crew, was busy flying instruments, and although he heard me, knew I was VFR, did not take care to both see and be seen as he left IFR flight conditions and went VFR. He expected the entire route to be IFR, even though he knew I was out there. At our closing speeds, once he became visibility, at a sighting of 6 mi, he had only 12 seconds to react. At VFR minimums the reaction time available would have been 3 seconds. In retrospect, I could have stayed at 7000' until he passed. I didn't know how long that would have taken as I didn't know if he was already airborne or still waiting for his clearance, or he could have delayed his climb until I knew and he knew exactly where he was and where I was.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC

Narrative: WX CONDITIONS WERE CHANGEABLE. I WAS CIRCLING AT 7000', IN A CLR AREA AT LEAST 7 MI IN DIAMETER. I COULD CLRLY SEE THE SARANAC LAKE, ADIRONDACK REGIONAL AREA, ARPT BELOW ME AND BLUE SKY ABOVE AT 10000'. A 15 PAX WAS DEPARTING ON A SID, IFR, TO PLATTSBURG, NY. I WAS DSNDING FROM 7000' FOR A LNDG WHILE THE ARPT WAS STILL VFR, AS SNOW SQUALLS WERE CONTINUALLY CAUSING THE FIELD TO GO IFR. I WAS TALKING TO UNICOM AND ADVISING THEM I WAS LNDG, BEFORE THE FIELD WENT IFR AGAIN. THE LTT HEARD ME ON UNICOM AND ASKED THAT I HOLD AT 7000' UNTIL HE PASSED ME; THAT HE WAS ON A SID. I ADVISED HIM THAT I WAS NE OF THE FIELD, VIS AND DSNDING. I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SID AND WHERE IT WOULD TAKE HIM. AT 4300' MY PAX WIFE, ADVISED ME THAT WE HAD JUST PASSED ANOTHER PLANE. THE OTHER PLT SAW ME. I DIDN'T SEE HIM AS I WAS IN A L TURN AND HE WAS OFF TO MY R SIDE GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. OUR CLOSING SPDS WERE IN EXCESS OF 360 MPH. I CONTINUED MY DSCNT AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. OF COURSE I WAS SHAKEN BY THE EXPERIENCE. THE FIELD WENT IFR AGAIN ABOUT 15 MINS LATER. I BELIEVE THE OTHER FLT CREW, WAS BUSY FLYING INSTRUMENTS, AND ALTHOUGH HE HEARD ME, KNEW I WAS VFR, DID NOT TAKE CARE TO BOTH SEE AND BE SEEN AS HE LEFT IFR FLT CONDITIONS AND WENT VFR. HE EXPECTED THE ENTIRE RTE TO BE IFR, EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW I WAS OUT THERE. AT OUR CLOSING SPDS, ONCE HE BECAME VIS, AT A SIGHTING OF 6 MI, HE HAD ONLY 12 SECS TO REACT. AT VFR MINIMUMS THE REACTION TIME AVAILABLE WOULD HAVE BEEN 3 SECS. IN RETROSPECT, I COULD HAVE STAYED AT 7000' UNTIL HE PASSED. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN AS I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WAS ALREADY AIRBORNE OR STILL WAITING FOR HIS CLRNC, OR HE COULD HAVE DELAYED HIS CLB UNTIL I KNEW AND HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS AND WHERE I WAS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.