Arriving small transport has close encounter with departing small transport.

Attributes
ACN	161415
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmh
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	161415
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During descent from 7000 to 3000' into cmh. Approach assigned a 230 degree heading and advised traffic, an small transport B climbing out of 4100' at 12:30 and 8 mi. I advised traffic in sight (later to find out it was another aircraft several mi behind the small transport B). Approach then cleared me back on course to maintain visibility sep. Passing through 4900' I saw the small transport B passing off to my right 200' above 2000' horizontal. Some possible causes: spotting wrong aircraft, not seeing the small transport's running lights (no strobes or beacon on) against city background, and being occupied with descend planning and procedures.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARRIVING SMT HAS CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH DEPARTING SMT.

Narrative: DURING DSNT FROM 7000 TO 3000' INTO CMH. APCH ASSIGNED A 230 DEG HDG AND ADVISED TFC, AN SMT B CLBING OUT OF 4100' AT 12:30 AND 8 MI. I ADVISED TFC IN SIGHT (LATER TO FIND OUT IT WAS ANOTHER ACFT SEVERAL MI BEHIND THE SMT B). APCH THEN CLRED ME BACK ON COURSE TO MAINTAIN VIS SEP. PASSING THROUGH 4900' I SAW THE SMT B PASSING OFF TO MY RIGHT 200' ABOVE 2000' HORIZ. SOME POSSIBLE CAUSES: SPOTTING WRONG ACFT, NOT SEEING THE SMT'S RUNNING LIGHTS (NO STROBES OR BEACON ON) AGAINST CITY BACKGROUND, AND BEING OCCUPIED WITH DSND PLANNING AND PROCS.

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.