Small aircraft told clear of TCA by ATC. Sighted closing traffic, took evasive action. Reenters TCA.

Attributes
ACN	190617
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad tower : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 152
ASRS Report	190617
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the last leg of a return trip from dxr to hef dulles approach vectored me to the VFR flyway. The controller informed me that I was out of his airspace and clear of the TCA. At that point I was further north than I thought. I turned right to what looked like lights around hef. Off my right wing I saw the other aircraft climbing towards me. I turned left and continued a descent to avoid and the other pilot turned to his left to avoid. Just before I saw the other aircraft is when I had realized that I was inside the TCA. After the other aircraft passed I contacted dulles approach and requested radar vectors to hef. This could have been avoided if I had informed the controller that I was unfamiliar with the area north of hef at night and requested vectors to hef sooner, or requested direct to csn VOR and an area where I was familiar with the lights at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TOLD CLR OF TCA BY ATC. SIGHTED CLOSING TFC, TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. REENTERS TCA.

Narrative: ON THE LAST LEG OF A RETURN TRIP FROM DXR TO HEF DULLES APCH VECTORED ME TO THE VFR FLYWAY. THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS OUT OF HIS AIRSPACE AND CLR OF THE TCA. AT THAT POINT I WAS FURTHER N THAN I THOUGHT. I TURNED R TO WHAT LOOKED LIKE LIGHTS AROUND HEF. OFF MY R WING I SAW THE OTHER ACFT CLBING TOWARDS ME. I TURNED L AND CONTINUED A DSCNT TO AVOID AND THE OTHER PLT TURNED TO HIS L TO AVOID. JUST BEFORE I SAW THE OTHER ACFT IS WHEN I HAD REALIZED THAT I WAS INSIDE THE TCA. AFTER THE OTHER ACFT PASSED I CONTACTED DULLES APCH AND REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO HEF. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD INFORMED THE CTLR THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA N OF HEF AT NIGHT AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO HEF SOONER, OR REQUESTED DIRECT TO CSN VOR AND AN AREA WHERE I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LIGHTS AT NIGHT.

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.