Narrative:

ATC descended us to 3000 ft prior to reaching the sparta VOR. This is normal procedure on our flts from dca-hpn. We usually are descended to 4000 at broadway VOR or very shortly after passing. There were numerous VFR light aircraft in the area. ATC called out 3 which we spotted and additionally there were 3 which were not called but visually acquired. This was all between 20 mi either side of sparta VOR on our course northeast inbound and east outbound. Most of these aircraft were within 1-2 mi and 500 ft of us when spotted. In-flight visibility was 3-5 mi with haze. After passing breezy intersection (19 DME on the sparta 084 degree radial) we were given a heading of 090 degrees by ATC and traffic was called out as 11 O'clock 2 mi swbound showing 2900 ft. The term 'verified' or 'not verified' was not used along with the target call. We visually acquired this traffic at 11 to 1130 O'clock at approximately 3/4 mi range. It appeared to be at our altitude, so we initiated a climb to 3300 to avoid a potential conflict. It was very hard to tell whether this aircraft was level or climbing, or how he'd react if he saw us. We had all our lights on and this other aircraft did not. It did not appear to alter course or altitude as we passed over him. His altitude appeared to be very close to our assigned 3000 ft. We told ATC we climbed to avoid the aircraft and were returning to 3000 ft. I asked if the controller still had the traffic and what altitude he was showing. The controller stated he was still showing 2900 ft. According to my TCA chart we were not inside the outer TCA boundary at this location. The other aircraft was a yellow front small aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: ATC DSNDED US TO 3000 FT PRIOR TO REACHING THE SPARTA VOR. THIS IS NORMAL PROC ON OUR FLTS FROM DCA-HPN. WE USUALLY ARE DSNDED TO 4000 AT BROADWAY VOR OR VERY SHORTLY AFTER PASSING. THERE WERE NUMEROUS VFR LIGHT ACFT IN THE AREA. ATC CALLED OUT 3 WHICH WE SPOTTED AND ADDITIONALLY THERE WERE 3 WHICH WERE NOT CALLED BUT VISUALLY ACQUIRED. THIS WAS ALL BTWN 20 MI EITHER SIDE OF SPARTA VOR ON OUR COURSE NE INBOUND AND E OUTBOUND. MOST OF THESE ACFT WERE WITHIN 1-2 MI AND 500 FT OF US WHEN SPOTTED. INFLT VISIBILITY WAS 3-5 MI WITH HAZE. AFTER PASSING BREEZY INTXN (19 DME ON THE SPARTA 084 DEG RADIAL) WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 090 DEGS BY ATC AND TFC WAS CALLED OUT AS 11 O'CLOCK 2 MI SWBOUND SHOWING 2900 FT. THE TERM 'VERIFIED' OR 'NOT VERIFIED' WAS NOT USED ALONG WITH THE TARGET CALL. WE VISUALLY ACQUIRED THIS TFC AT 11 TO 1130 O'CLOCK AT APPROX 3/4 MI RANGE. IT APPEARED TO BE AT OUR ALT, SO WE INITIATED A CLB TO 3300 TO AVOID A POTENTIAL CONFLICT. IT WAS VERY HARD TO TELL WHETHER THIS ACFT WAS LEVEL OR CLBING, OR HOW HE'D REACT IF HE SAW US. WE HAD ALL OUR LIGHTS ON AND THIS OTHER ACFT DID NOT. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO ALTER COURSE OR ALT AS WE PASSED OVER HIM. HIS ALT APPEARED TO BE VERY CLOSE TO OUR ASSIGNED 3000 FT. WE TOLD ATC WE CLBED TO AVOID THE ACFT AND WERE RETURNING TO 3000 FT. I ASKED IF THE CTLR STILL HAD THE TFC AND WHAT ALT HE WAS SHOWING. THE CTLR STATED HE WAS STILL SHOWING 2900 FT. ACCORDING TO MY TCA CHART WE WERE NOT INSIDE THE OUTER TCA BOUNDARY AT THIS LOCATION. THE OTHER ACFT WAS A YELLOW FRONT SMA.

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.