Narrative:

I was filed VFR from apa direct cos VOR direct publication direct cos VOR direct apa. I contacted cos arsa at the appropriate time and was given a transponder code, then told that they had radar contact. I continued flying 155 degree to cos VOR at 9500'. Shortly after passing cos VOR, I was given a traffic advisory of an air carrier medium large transport Y descending out of 10000' at 11 O'clock. I reported no joy and that I was looking for him. The air carrier medium large transport Y was also given a traffic advisory for my position. I do not remember hearing a response from the medium large transport Y. Approximately 45-60 seconds later I was told by the controller as was the medium large transport Y that traffic was no longer a factor, and that the medium large transport Y was cleared for the visibility to runway 17 and change to tower frequency. I am glad I was taught that phrases like, 'radar contact' and 'no longer a factor' are no reason to relax or be less vigilant. I continued looking for the medium large transport Y, and was surprised to see him at my 12 O'clock. He seemed to be lower, but his position on my windshield stayed the same and I noticed no relative motion between him and the ground. I immediately turned 90 degree to the left so as to maintain visibility contact. In a matter of seconds the medium large transport Y was passing me on the right, slightly higher, and had just initiated a right turn. Approximately 60 second later the arsa controller asked me to verify altitude as I had lost approximately 500'. I told the controller that I was at 9000'. The arsa controller then asked me if I had seen the medium large transport Y, in which I said I had and that I took evasive action. I then continued on to pueblo, co, uneventfully. Upon arrival at publication, I was told to call colorado springs tower by the FBO desk at which I had parked. I called colorado springs tower, and told them the same thing I have written in this letter. I was told the medium large transport Y captain was upset and that he had contacted colorado springs tower after landing. As for any explanation of the event, the controller told me that the medium large transport Y had turned to a northerly heading after changing to colorado springs tower frequency, which was within his rights under a visibility approach. In conclusion, this event has served to reinforce my belief in see and avoid and constant vigilance no matter how secure the words 'radar contact' make you feel. Although I still wonder why I wasn't told by the arsa controller, that the medium large transport Y had turned to a heading directly in conflict with my headings seeing how I was in radar contact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TOOK AVOIDANCE ACTION TO MISS MLG ON VISUAL APCH TO COS ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS FILED VFR FROM APA DIRECT COS VOR DIRECT PUB DIRECT COS VOR DIRECT APA. I CONTACTED COS ARSA AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE, THEN TOLD THAT THEY HAD RADAR CONTACT. I CONTINUED FLYING 155 DEG TO COS VOR AT 9500'. SHORTLY AFTER PASSING COS VOR, I WAS GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY OF AN ACR MLG Y DSNDING OUT OF 10000' AT 11 O'CLOCK. I RPTED NO JOY AND THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR HIM. THE ACR MLG Y WAS ALSO GIVEN A TFC ADVISORY FOR MY POS. I DO NOT REMEMBER HEARING A RESPONSE FROM THE MLG Y. APPROX 45-60 SECS LATER I WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR AS WAS THE MLG Y THAT TFC WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR, AND THAT THE MLG Y WAS CLRED FOR THE VIS TO RWY 17 AND CHANGE TO TWR FREQ. I AM GLAD I WAS TAUGHT THAT PHRASES LIKE, 'RADAR CONTACT' AND 'NO LONGER A FACTOR' ARE NO REASON TO RELAX OR BE LESS VIGILANT. I CONTINUED LOOKING FOR THE MLG Y, AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HIM AT MY 12 O'CLOCK. HE SEEMED TO BE LOWER, BUT HIS POS ON MY WINDSHIELD STAYED THE SAME AND I NOTICED NO RELATIVE MOTION BTWN HIM AND THE GND. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED 90 DEG TO THE L SO AS TO MAINTAIN VIS CONTACT. IN A MATTER OF SECS THE MLG Y WAS PASSING ME ON THE R, SLIGHTLY HIGHER, AND HAD JUST INITIATED A R TURN. APPROX 60 SEC LATER THE ARSA CTLR ASKED ME TO VERIFY ALT AS I HAD LOST APPROX 500'. I TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WAS AT 9000'. THE ARSA CTLR THEN ASKED ME IF I HAD SEEN THE MLG Y, IN WHICH I SAID I HAD AND THAT I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. I THEN CONTINUED ON TO PUEBLO, CO, UNEVENTFULLY. UPON ARR AT PUB, I WAS TOLD TO CALL COLORADO SPRINGS TWR BY THE FBO DESK AT WHICH I HAD PARKED. I CALLED COLORADO SPRINGS TWR, AND TOLD THEM THE SAME THING I HAVE WRITTEN IN THIS LETTER. I WAS TOLD THE MLG Y CAPT WAS UPSET AND THAT HE HAD CONTACTED COLORADO SPRINGS TWR AFTER LNDG. AS FOR ANY EXPLANATION OF THE EVENT, THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT THE MLG Y HAD TURNED TO A NORTHERLY HDG AFTER CHANGING TO COLORADO SPRINGS TWR FREQ, WHICH WAS WITHIN HIS RIGHTS UNDER A VIS APCH. IN CONCLUSION, THIS EVENT HAS SERVED TO REINFORCE MY BELIEF IN SEE AND AVOID AND CONSTANT VIGILANCE NO MATTER HOW SECURE THE WORDS 'RADAR CONTACT' MAKE YOU FEEL. ALTHOUGH I STILL WONDER WHY I WASN'T TOLD BY THE ARSA CTLR, THAT THE MLG Y HAD TURNED TO A HDG DIRECTLY IN CONFLICT WITH MY HDGS SEEING HOW I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT.

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.