Narrative:

Close to the rainbow valley airport, my student practiced a lazy 8 in an small aircraft X. This was initiated at 4000 ft MSL perpendicular to a gas line as reference line. After the clearing turns, and not seeing any aircraft, we started our climbing turns sbound to the right. At that time we saw another small aircraft coming from our 3 O'clock position flying through our intended flight path. We discontinued this maneuver and reestablished our 4000 ft MSL in the opposite direction. The eye contact was lost to the disappearing aircraft. After the second try to fly the lazy 8, we saw again an small aircraft in the same company colors, crossing our intended flight path from the right to the left, approximately 500 ft higher than we were. Assuming it was the same airplane as before, obviously not clearing his airspace, I decided to take the controls to read the numbers. As we turned in behind the other aircraft, we noticed that this aircraft was starting to turn to the left and right. By that time it was not possible to get close enough to read the numbers safely. As the airspeed suddenly reduced and the small aircraft descended, I stayed behind and above him with some s-turns not to overtake him. Then it seemed to me that the small aircraft was stabilizing its movements. This was the moment when I took the chance to overtake him on his right side. Because of my altitude advantage I could easily accelerate and pass with an approximately 30 KT overspd in a safe distance. I asked my student to write down the tail number. This was made out of a distance where the reading was quite hard to do. We left this airplane in a southerly direction to continue our mission in a different area. This whole happening took about 3 mins, starting from breaking off my second attempt of a lazy 8 until reading the numbers. Since it is one of my responsibilities as a flight standards officer in my squadron, to make certain that proper clearing techniques are used, I thought it necessary to identify the other aircraft, so I could discuss it personally with this pilot involved. During the whole encounter I took every precaution not to give the appearance that I was trying to endanger the other aircraft in any way. This is why I stayed behind him, as described above, until he had settled down and stopped maneuvering. After landing I had the opportunity to talk with the other pilot and I got the impression that the problem was resolved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA MIL TRAINER HAS NMAC WITH SAME IN PRACTICE AREA.

Narrative: CLOSE TO THE RAINBOW VALLEY ARPT, MY STUDENT PRACTICED A LAZY 8 IN AN SMA X. THIS WAS INITIATED AT 4000 FT MSL PERPENDICULAR TO A GAS LINE AS REF LINE. AFTER THE CLRING TURNS, AND NOT SEEING ANY ACFT, WE STARTED OUR CLBING TURNS SBOUND TO THE R. AT THAT TIME WE SAW ANOTHER SMA COMING FROM OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS FLYING THROUGH OUR INTENDED FLT PATH. WE DISCONTINUED THIS MANEUVER AND REESTABLISHED OUR 4000 FT MSL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE EYE CONTACT WAS LOST TO THE DISAPPEARING ACFT. AFTER THE SECOND TRY TO FLY THE LAZY 8, WE SAW AGAIN AN SMA IN THE SAME COMPANY COLORS, XING OUR INTENDED FLT PATH FROM THE R TO THE L, APPROX 500 FT HIGHER THAN WE WERE. ASSUMING IT WAS THE SAME AIRPLANE AS BEFORE, OBVIOUSLY NOT CLRING HIS AIRSPACE, I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CTLS TO READ THE NUMBERS. AS WE TURNED IN BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT, WE NOTICED THAT THIS ACFT WAS STARTING TO TURN TO THE L AND R. BY THAT TIME IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO READ THE NUMBERS SAFELY. AS THE AIRSPD SUDDENLY REDUCED AND THE SMA DSNDED, I STAYED BEHIND AND ABOVE HIM WITH SOME S-TURNS NOT TO OVERTAKE HIM. THEN IT SEEMED TO ME THAT THE SMA WAS STABILIZING ITS MOVEMENTS. THIS WAS THE MOMENT WHEN I TOOK THE CHANCE TO OVERTAKE HIM ON HIS R SIDE. BECAUSE OF MY ALT ADVANTAGE I COULD EASILY ACCELERATE AND PASS WITH AN APPROX 30 KT OVERSPD IN A SAFE DISTANCE. I ASKED MY STUDENT TO WRITE DOWN THE TAIL NUMBER. THIS WAS MADE OUT OF A DISTANCE WHERE THE READING WAS QUITE HARD TO DO. WE LEFT THIS AIRPLANE IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TO CONTINUE OUR MISSION IN A DIFFERENT AREA. THIS WHOLE HAPPENING TOOK ABOUT 3 MINS, STARTING FROM BREAKING OFF MY SECOND ATTEMPT OF A LAZY 8 UNTIL READING THE NUMBERS. SINCE IT IS ONE OF MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A FLT STANDARDS OFFICER IN MY SQUADRON, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT PROPER CLRING TECHNIQUES ARE USED, I THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO IDENT THE OTHER ACFT, SO I COULD DISCUSS IT PERSONALLY WITH THIS PLT INVOLVED. DURING THE WHOLE ENCOUNTER I TOOK EVERY PRECAUTION NOT TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE THAT I WAS TRYING TO ENDANGER THE OTHER ACFT IN ANY WAY. THIS IS WHY I STAYED BEHIND HIM, AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, UNTIL HE HAD SETTLED DOWN AND STOPPED MANEUVERING. AFTER LNDG I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE OTHER PLT AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PROB WAS RESOLVED.

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.