Near midair collision between 2 opposite direction small aircraft's.

Attributes
ACN	217307
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : oxi
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v422
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 905 flight time type : 325
ASRS Report	217307
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 350 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was wbound on V422 at 4500, on a flight from cak to vpz. I had contacted south bend approach when 6 mi west of asw for VFR advisories. When approximately 10 mi east of oxi VOR, sbn called me with an instruction, which I heard as 'small aircraft X, need you to descend out of 4500.' I responded, 'small aircraft X, descending from 4500 ft.' sbn did not question this error. I began descending, and when reaching 3700 my passenger and I simultaneously spotted oncoming traffic, 11 O'clock, less than 1000 ft ahead at 3500 ft. The traffic broke to his right, and I stopped my descent and started a right climbing turn just as sbn called, 'small aircraft X, do not descend -- do not descend.' I replied: 'small aircraft X, I have him in sight.' sbn: 'small aircraft X, I told you not to descend didn't you hear me?' small aircraft X: 'small aircraft X I thought you said you needed me to descend from 4500. Sorry.' sbn: 'well, traffic is behind you now. You can go to the altitude you want.' small aircraft X: 'roger...' my comments: I'll take 1/2 the blame. I should have been listening harder and I should have questioned the instruction or asked for a repeat. However, I feel the controller's phraseology was poor. He should have said 'small aircraft X, traffic at 3500 opposite direction. Maintain you present altitude.' chalk up one more near miss to poor communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN 2 OPPOSITE DIRECTION SMA'S.

Narrative: I WAS WBOUND ON V422 AT 4500, ON A FLT FROM CAK TO VPZ. I HAD CONTACTED S BEND APCH WHEN 6 MI W OF ASW FOR VFR ADVISORIES. WHEN APPROX 10 MI E OF OXI VOR, SBN CALLED ME WITH AN INSTRUCTION, WHICH I HEARD AS 'SMA X, NEED YOU TO DSND OUT OF 4500.' I RESPONDED, 'SMA X, DSNDING FROM 4500 FT.' SBN DID NOT QUESTION THIS ERROR. I BEGAN DSNDING, AND WHEN REACHING 3700 MY PAX AND I SIMULTANEOUSLY SPOTTED ONCOMING TFC, 11 O'CLOCK, LESS THAN 1000 FT AHEAD AT 3500 FT. THE TFC BROKE TO HIS R, AND I STOPPED MY DSCNT AND STARTED A R CLBING TURN JUST AS SBN CALLED, 'SMA X, DO NOT DSND -- DO NOT DSND.' I REPLIED: 'SMA X, I HAVE HIM IN SIGHT.' SBN: 'SMA X, I TOLD YOU NOT TO DSND DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?' SMA X: 'SMA X I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU NEEDED ME TO DSND FROM 4500. SORRY.' SBN: 'WELL, TFC IS BEHIND YOU NOW. YOU CAN GO TO THE ALT YOU WANT.' SMA X: 'ROGER...' MY COMMENTS: I'LL TAKE 1/2 THE BLAME. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTENING HARDER AND I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE INSTRUCTION OR ASKED FOR A REPEAT. HOWEVER, I FEEL THE CTLR'S PHRASEOLOGY WAS POOR. HE SHOULD HAVE SAID 'SMA X, TFC AT 3500 OPPOSITE DIRECTION. MAINTAIN YOU PRESENT ALT.' CHALK UP ONE MORE NEAR MISS TO POOR COMS.

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.