Narrative:

On 9/90 we were operating an small aircraft X for training purposes at gmu doing controled field operations and procedures. We then departed westbound and I was instructing the student on dead reckoning, navigation, and collision avoidance while operating in and around an air traffic area. We had requested 3000' MSL and had been level at that altitude for approximately 1-2 mins. Shortly after leveling and proceeding on a w-swesterly heading we observed an small aircraft Z pass from our right rear quarter across our flight path, approximately 5' above our altitude and within 50' of us horizontally. The small aircraft Z was on a more swesterly heading which resulted in converging flight paths. I immediately called gmu tower and asked if they were working an small aircraft Z swbnd. They said he should be on frequency, but efforts to raise him yielded no results. By this time we were clear of the air traffic area and asked gsp approach if they were in contact with the small aircraft Z. They were not. The small aircraft Z was operated by an instrument at a flight school at gmu. After discussions with the instrument and other personnel at the school, it is apparent too much reliance is placed on and expected of ATC for collision avoidance and traffic advisories in a VFR environment. The instrument said he never saw us and that ATC at gmu never called traffic ahead and westbound for him. Clearly, inattention and lack of understanding of ATC's responsibility by the PIC of the small aircraft Z contributed to the near miss. Corrective action might include a review by ATC/FAA given to the flight school and instructing personnel on a pilot's responsibility and procedures while operating in an air traffic area under VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX TWO GA SMA ACFT ON TRAINING FLTS NEAR GMU.

Narrative: ON 9/90 WE WERE OPERATING AN SMA X FOR TRNING PURPOSES AT GMU DOING CTLED FIELD OPS AND PROCS. WE THEN DEPARTED WBND AND I WAS INSTRUCTING THE STUDENT ON DEAD RECKONING, NAV, AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE WHILE OPERATING IN AND AROUND AN ATA. WE HAD REQUESTED 3000' MSL AND HAD BEEN LEVEL AT THAT ALT FOR APPROX 1-2 MINS. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING AND PROCEEDING ON A W-SWESTERLY HDG WE OBSERVED AN SMA Z PASS FROM OUR R REAR QUARTER ACROSS OUR FLT PATH, APPROX 5' ABOVE OUR ALT AND WITHIN 50' OF US HORIZLY. THE SMA Z WAS ON A MORE SWESTERLY HDG WHICH RESULTED IN CONVERGING FLT PATHS. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED GMU TWR AND ASKED IF THEY WERE WORKING AN SMA Z SWBND. THEY SAID HE SHOULD BE ON FREQ, BUT EFFORTS TO RAISE HIM YIELDED NO RESULTS. BY THIS TIME WE WERE CLEAR OF THE ATA AND ASKED GSP APCH IF THEY WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE SMA Z. THEY WERE NOT. THE SMA Z WAS OPERATED BY AN INSTR AT A FLT SCHOOL AT GMU. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE INSTR AND OTHER PERSONNEL AT THE SCHOOL, IT IS APPARENT TOO MUCH RELIANCE IS PLACED ON AND EXPECTED OF ATC FOR COLLISION AVOIDANCE AND TFC ADVISORIES IN A VFR ENVIRONMENT. THE INSTR SAID HE NEVER SAW US AND THAT ATC AT GMU NEVER CALLED TFC AHEAD AND WBND FOR HIM. CLRLY, INATTENTION AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF ATC'S RESPONSIBILITY BY THE PIC OF THE SMA Z CONTRIBUTED TO THE NEAR MISS. CORRECTIVE ACTION MIGHT INCLUDE A REVIEW BY ATC/FAA GIVEN TO THE FLT SCHOOL AND INSTRUCTING PERSONNEL ON A PLT'S RESPONSIBILITY AND PROCS WHILE OPERATING IN AN ATA UNDER VFR.

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.