Narrative:

Saginaw approach handed me off to fnt approach. I was then assigned a new squawk. Fnt north handed me to fnt south. I was in level cruise at 5500, heading 180. Fnt called airliner traffic, 11 O'clock, 8500, descending. We acknowledged contact of each other. About 3/4 mins later, an small aircraft X called fnt. About 1 min later, the X appeared to my right, same altitude, about 100 ft away. It was after sunset, hazy, and although visibility was 10 mi, the haze and lack of light made seeing below the horizon difficult. The X also had no lights on, as is required after sunset. About 10-15 seconds after I veered left, the controller called traffic, I believe she said 12 O'clock 1 mi. This was after he had passed. I said at that time 'we just passed him.' after collecting my thoughts, I was very unhappy about this. There were 4 things on my mind. Why didn't the controller warn me? Why didn't the X have lights on? Why didn't I see him sooner? Why was he at wrong altitude for his heading? When the controller told me to squawk VFR 5 min later, I said 'you should of called that traffic. He was so close.' she said 'he just popped up. We do the best we can', with the hint of a bad attitude. Conclusions: the controller should have seen the conflict well before the X called her, I don't believe her statement that he 'just popped up,' I think the primary or 1200 code target was there all along, including altitude. The controller did not use proper terminology (even if it was after the traffic passed). I believe that 'traffic alert' or a more urgent warning was due. Not 12 O'clock, 1 mi. Being under radar advisories gives false security if they don't have the time or the capability to call traffic, then they shouldn't take you! Advisories should equal responsibility. The X may have been in a climb, and under my nose, but if he would've had lights on, recognition would have been sooner. The X should have been able to see me, ahead, above, with position lights and tail strobe operating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FNT APCH CTLR ADVISED TFC CONFLICT AFTER CONFLICT HAD OCCURRED.

Narrative: SAGINAW APCH HANDED ME OFF TO FNT APCH. I WAS THEN ASSIGNED A NEW SQUAWK. FNT N HANDED ME TO FNT S. I WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE AT 5500, HDG 180. FNT CALLED AIRLINER TFC, 11 O'CLOCK, 8500, DSNDING. WE ACKNOWLEDGED CONTACT OF EACH OTHER. ABOUT 3/4 MINS LATER, AN SMA X CALLED FNT. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER, THE X APPEARED TO MY R, SAME ALT, ABOUT 100 FT AWAY. IT WAS AFTER SUNSET, HAZY, AND ALTHOUGH VISIBILITY WAS 10 MI, THE HAZE AND LACK OF LIGHT MADE SEEING BELOW THE HORIZON DIFFICULT. THE X ALSO HAD NO LIGHTS ON, AS IS REQUIRED AFTER SUNSET. ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS AFTER I VEERED L, THE CTLR CALLED TFC, I BELIEVE SHE SAID 12 O'CLOCK 1 MI. THIS WAS AFTER HE HAD PASSED. I SAID AT THAT TIME 'WE JUST PASSED HIM.' AFTER COLLECTING MY THOUGHTS, I WAS VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THIS. THERE WERE 4 THINGS ON MY MIND. WHY DIDN'T THE CTLR WARN ME? WHY DIDN'T THE X HAVE LIGHTS ON? WHY DIDN'T I SEE HIM SOONER? WHY WAS HE AT WRONG ALT FOR HIS HDG? WHEN THE CTLR TOLD ME TO SQUAWK VFR 5 MIN LATER, I SAID 'YOU SHOULD OF CALLED THAT TFC. HE WAS SO CLOSE.' SHE SAID 'HE JUST POPPED UP. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN', WITH THE HINT OF A BAD ATTITUDE. CONCLUSIONS: THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE CONFLICT WELL BEFORE THE X CALLED HER, I DON'T BELIEVE HER STATEMENT THAT HE 'JUST POPPED UP,' I THINK THE PRIMARY OR 1200 CODE TARGET WAS THERE ALL ALONG, INCLUDING ALT. THE CTLR DID NOT USE PROPER TERMINOLOGY (EVEN IF IT WAS AFTER THE TFC PASSED). I BELIEVE THAT 'TFC ALERT' OR A MORE URGENT WARNING WAS DUE. NOT 12 O'CLOCK, 1 MI. BEING UNDER RADAR ADVISORIES GIVES FALSE SECURITY IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE CAPABILITY TO CALL TFC, THEN THEY SHOULDN'T TAKE YOU! ADVISORIES SHOULD EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY. THE X MAY HAVE BEEN IN A CLB, AND UNDER MY NOSE, BUT IF HE WOULD'VE HAD LIGHTS ON, RECOGNITION WOULD HAVE BEEN SOONER. THE X SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE ME, AHEAD, ABOVE, WITH POS LIGHTS AND TAIL STROBE OPERATING.

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.