Close proximity GA-small aircraft GA-small transport near ral.

Attributes
ACN	164193
Time
Date	199011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdz airport : ral
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 149 flight time type : 149
ASRS Report	164193
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 20
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I had been cruising at 2500' MSL and had started a gradual descent. I had monitored ATIS, and had turned to ral tower. ATIS had advised that winds had shifted and increased since my departure 2 hours earlier. This was a surprise as I had obtained a briefing earlier, and they were predicted to abate. In addition, there was a pilot on frequency who had just departed, and had some difficulty with the takeoff, due to the wind. He sounded nervous, and he was aborting his flight and returning to land. As I am a low time pilot, with limited x-wind practice, this had me worried to the point of preoccupation. All of a sudden, there he was! I never saw him until he filled the windscreen. He was an older twin, within 100' in front of me, and about 20' above. He was crossing in front of me at a 90 degree angle in what appeared to be a normal climb attitude. He did not appear to be in an evasive mode. I don't think he ever saw me, and I had no time to dodge him. In retrospect, it is obvious to me, that I was too concerned about the prospect of a stiff x-wind landing and not properly scanning for other aircraft. I had been looking around, but not a concentrated, organized scan. This was a lesson that I was lucky I was able to walk away from.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA-SMA GA-SMT NEAR RAL.

Narrative: I HAD BEEN CRUISING AT 2500' MSL AND HAD STARTED A GRADUAL DSNT. I HAD MONITORED ATIS, AND HAD TURNED TO RAL TWR. ATIS HAD ADVISED THAT WINDS HAD SHIFTED AND INCREASED SINCE MY DEP 2 HRS EARLIER. THIS WAS A SURPRISE AS I HAD OBTAINED A BRIEFING EARLIER, AND THEY WERE PREDICTED TO ABATE. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A PLT ON FREQ WHO HAD JUST DEPARTED, AND HAD SOME DIFFICULTY WITH THE TKOF, DUE TO THE WIND. HE SOUNDED NERVOUS, AND HE WAS ABORTING HIS FLT AND RETURNING TO LAND. AS I AM A LOW TIME PLT, WITH LIMITED X-WIND PRACTICE, THIS HAD ME WORRIED TO THE POINT OF PREOCCUPATION. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE HE WAS! I NEVER SAW HIM UNTIL HE FILLED THE WINDSCREEN. HE WAS AN OLDER TWIN, WITHIN 100' IN FRONT OF ME, AND ABOUT 20' ABOVE. HE WAS XING IN FRONT OF ME AT A 90 DEG ANGLE IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL CLB ATTITUDE. HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE IN AN EVASIVE MODE. I DON'T THINK HE EVER SAW ME, AND I HAD NO TIME TO DODGE HIM. IN RETROSPECT, IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME, THAT I WAS TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF A STIFF X-WIND LNDG AND NOT PROPERLY SCANNING FOR OTHER ACFT. I HAD BEEN LOOKING AROUND, BUT NOT A CONCENTRATED, ORGANIZED SCAN. THIS WAS A LESSON THAT I WAS LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO WALK AWAY FROM.

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.