Near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	188552
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hfd
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl tower : pdx
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1081 flight time type : 677
ASRS Report	188552
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 150 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On sep/sat/91 at XA05 a.M., I was flying VFR at 2500 MSL (approximately 2000 ft AGL) from great beminton (gbr) to fishers island, ny (0b8). Navigation was LORAN direct and I had just passed about 3 mi northeast of the hartford VORTAC (hfd). I was on flight following with bradley approach (bdl) frequency 125.8 squawking 5250. Bradley approach was fairly busy but had alerted me to other traffic. Bradley approach had just asked me to change to a new sector frequency (I believe it was 111.05). My heading was about 150 degree. I was just about to dial in the new frequency when I noticed a white twin (small transport class) no more than 1/3-1/2 mi away coming straight at me with a heading of about 270 degree at my exact altitude. I took immediate evasive action turning sharply to the right. The plane passed approximately 150 ft behind me taking no evasive action. I could not get north number. I called bradley on the current frequency (125.8) and asked if they had seen anything. The controller said 'no'. I then switched over to the new sector and asked if they had seen anything. Again, 'no'. I can't believe it! That was a large target well within radar coverage -- at least a primary echo should have been visible even if the pilot did not have transponder on. I think the controllers did not want to admit their failure to notice a near midair collision. They had called no traffic at the time. Lesson: 1) always keep your eyes open, even on flight following. 2) especially watch at sector corners. 3) some pilots may be flying illegally with transponder off. 4) I am filing a complaint against the controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: ON SEP/SAT/91 AT XA05 A.M., I WAS FLYING VFR AT 2500 MSL (APPROX 2000 FT AGL) FROM GREAT BEMINTON (GBR) TO FISHERS ISLAND, NY (0B8). NAV WAS LORAN DIRECT AND I HAD JUST PASSED ABOUT 3 MI NE OF THE HARTFORD VORTAC (HFD). I WAS ON FLT FOLLOWING WITH BRADLEY APCH (BDL) FREQ 125.8 SQUAWKING 5250. BRADLEY APCH WAS FAIRLY BUSY BUT HAD ALERTED ME TO OTHER TFC. BRADLEY APCH HAD JUST ASKED ME TO CHANGE TO A NEW SECTOR FREQ (I BELIEVE IT WAS 111.05). MY HDG WAS ABOUT 150 DEG. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO DIAL IN THE NEW FREQ WHEN I NOTICED A WHITE TWIN (SMT CLASS) NO MORE THAN 1/3-1/2 MI AWAY COMING STRAIGHT AT ME WITH A HDG OF ABOUT 270 DEG AT MY EXACT ALT. I TOOK IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION TURNING SHARPLY TO THE R. THE PLANE PASSED APPROX 150 FT BEHIND ME TAKING NO EVASIVE ACTION. I COULD NOT GET N NUMBER. I CALLED BRADLEY ON THE CURRENT FREQ (125.8) AND ASKED IF THEY HAD SEEN ANYTHING. THE CTLR SAID 'NO'. I THEN SWITCHED OVER TO THE NEW SECTOR AND ASKED IF THEY HAD SEEN ANYTHING. AGAIN, 'NO'. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THAT WAS A LARGE TARGET WELL WITHIN RADAR COVERAGE -- AT LEAST A PRIMARY ECHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN VISIBLE EVEN IF THE PLT DID NOT HAVE TRANSPONDER ON. I THINK THE CTLRS DID NOT WANT TO ADMIT THEIR FAILURE TO NOTICE A NMAC. THEY HAD CALLED NO TFC AT THE TIME. LESSON: 1) ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, EVEN ON FLT FOLLOWING. 2) ESPECIALLY WATCH AT SECTOR CORNERS. 3) SOME PLTS MAY BE FLYING ILLEGALLY WITH TRANSPONDER OFF. 4) I AM FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CTLRS.

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.