Narrative:

I departed williamsport, PA, (ipt) in VFR conditions to pick up an IFR flight plan from elmira approach over the stonyfork VOR. Abut 35 mi south of the VOR, I encountered heavier than forecast snow and called the center for my IFR clearance, but I was still able to see 3 plus mi in snow to maintain VFR. 25 mi south of VOR, the center asked me to call elmira approach for my clearance. I made radio contact and was told to standby for radar identify and IFR clearance. I spoke to the controller several times in the next 20 mi, but she could not see me on her radar. Not until I was approximately 3 mi south of the VOR did she tell me an IFR aircraft was also approaching the VOR only 500 ft above my altitude to begin an IFR descent through my altitude to the local airport. Had I been told earlier of the other aircraft, I would have held 10 mi south of VOR to avoid conflict in such marginal VFR conditions. The other aircraft cancelled IFR as it began descent from 4000 ft and made its approach VFR to the airport. Radar contact with us was made 3 mi past the VOR and after the conflict problem. Controllers should be required to advise any aircraft VFR or IFR of a possible airspace conflict over a NAVAID if they are in radio communication.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT COMPLAINS OF NO DETECTION OF HIS ACFT BY TRACON RADAR WHILE ENTERING INTO MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS AWAITING ACFT IDENT FOR ATC RTE CLRNC. POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ACFT Y RESULTED.

Narrative: I DEPARTED WILLIAMSPORT, PA, (IPT) IN VFR CONDITIONS TO PICK UP AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ELMIRA APCH OVER THE STONYFORK VOR. ABUT 35 MI S OF THE VOR, I ENCOUNTERED HEAVIER THAN FORECAST SNOW AND CALLED THE CTR FOR MY IFR CLRNC, BUT I WAS STILL ABLE TO SEE 3 PLUS MI IN SNOW TO MAINTAIN VFR. 25 MI S OF VOR, THE CTR ASKED ME TO CALL ELMIRA APCH FOR MY CLRNC. I MADE RADIO CONTACT AND WAS TOLD TO STANDBY FOR RADAR IDENT AND IFR CLRNC. I SPOKE TO THE CTLR SEVERAL TIMES IN THE NEXT 20 MI, BUT SHE COULD NOT SEE ME ON HER RADAR. NOT UNTIL I WAS APPROX 3 MI S OF THE VOR DID SHE TELL ME AN IFR ACFT WAS ALSO APCHING THE VOR ONLY 500 FT ABOVE MY ALT TO BEGIN AN IFR DSCNT THROUGH MY ALT TO THE LCL ARPT. HAD I BEEN TOLD EARLIER OF THE OTHER ACFT, I WOULD HAVE HELD 10 MI S OF VOR TO AVOID CONFLICT IN SUCH MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. THE OTHER ACFT CANCELLED IFR AS IT BEGAN DSCNT FROM 4000 FT AND MADE ITS APCH VFR TO THE ARPT. RADAR CONTACT WITH US WAS MADE 3 MI PAST THE VOR AND AFTER THE CONFLICT PROB. CTLRS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ADVISE ANY ACFT VFR OR IFR OF A POSSIBLE AIRSPACE CONFLICT OVER A NAVAID IF THEY ARE IN RADIO COM.

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.