Narrative:

I was the pilot and sole occupant of small transport X on an IFR flight plan to santa monica, ca (smo). The burbank controller put me on a 140 degree vector heading, 'vector across the (smo VOR-a) final approach course.' there was a same-direction bizjet at 5000' below and behind me, overtaking. When the bizjet saw me, he was instructed to maintain visual separation, and I was instructed to descend to 5000' and to turn right to a northwesterly heading to intercept the VOR-a final approach course between darts and bevey. As I rolled out of the turn and levelled at 5000' (almost simultaneously), I observed air carrier Y passing in front of my aircraft from right to left at precisely my altitude. Horizontal spacing is difficult to estimate, but I feel sure that it was less than 0.1 mi (600'). I could clearly read the 'air carrier' logo and see the individual passenger windows on the light transport. I took no evasive action, there simply was no time to react. I keyed my transmitter and said, 'burbank, do you know that you almost ran us into air carrier Y?' the controller responded by issuing me an approach clearance. 'Burbank, were you working that air carrier?' 'affirmative.' 20 mins later, on the ground at smo, I phoned the watch supervisor at burbank TRACON. I asked him whether he realized just how close the 2 airplanes came to colliding, and then proceeded to tell him. I then asked him for an explanation of the incident from the perspective of the TRACON. He started going into detail about rules for separating diverging aircraft. I pointed out that as soon as the controller turned me northwest, my aircraft and air carrier Y were converging at roughly 90 degree.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACR Y. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT AND SOLE OCCUPANT OF SMT X ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO SANTA MONICA, CA (SMO). THE BURBANK CTLR PUT ME ON A 140 DEG VECTOR HDG, 'VECTOR ACROSS THE (SMO VOR-A) FINAL APCH COURSE.' THERE WAS A SAME-DIRECTION BIZJET AT 5000' BELOW AND BEHIND ME, OVERTAKING. WHEN THE BIZJET SAW ME, HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION, AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 5000' AND TO TURN RIGHT TO A NORTHWESTERLY HDG TO INTERCEPT THE VOR-A FINAL APCH COURSE BETWEEN DARTS AND BEVEY. AS I ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN AND LEVELLED AT 5000' (ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY), I OBSERVED ACR Y PASSING IN FRONT OF MY ACFT FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AT PRECISELY MY ALT. HORIZONTAL SPACING IS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE, BUT I FEEL SURE THAT IT WAS LESS THAN 0.1 MI (600'). I COULD CLEARLY READ THE 'ACR' LOGO AND SEE THE INDIVIDUAL PAX WINDOWS ON THE LTT. I TOOK NO EVASIVE ACTION, THERE SIMPLY WAS NO TIME TO REACT. I KEYED MY XMITTER AND SAID, 'BURBANK, DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ALMOST RAN US INTO ACR Y?' THE CTLR RESPONDED BY ISSUING ME AN APCH CLRNC. 'BURBANK, WERE YOU WORKING THAT ACR?' 'AFFIRMATIVE.' 20 MINS LATER, ON THE GND AT SMO, I PHONED THE WATCH SUPVR AT BURBANK TRACON. I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE REALIZED JUST HOW CLOSE THE 2 AIRPLANES CAME TO COLLIDING, AND THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL HIM. I THEN ASKED HIM FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE INCIDENT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE TRACON. HE STARTED GOING INTO DETAIL ABOUT RULES FOR SEPARATING DIVERGING ACFT. I POINTED OUT THAT AS SOON AS THE CTLR TURNED ME NW, MY ACFT AND ACR Y WERE CONVERGING AT ROUGHLY 90 DEG.

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.