VFR aircraft descends through IFR altitude. No TA from center.

Attributes
ACN	254038
Time
Date	199310
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gld
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v4
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	254038
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was on IFR flight plan. VFR at the time, 3-5 mins before I was in and out of clouds. A low wing airplane (I think an small aircraft) crossed my path in front of me from right to left. No time to react. As I looked out my left window, it looked as if he was descending. I'm not sure if he ever saw me. This took place at 11000 ft. Center never reported anything. I know they are not required to separate IFR and VFR traffic. I was told that emphatically at a previous time when I called traffic not reported by center. Maybe that's why I said nothing to center at the time. The more I thought about how close the incident was to being real serious, the more I wished I would have said something. You don't want to get people in trouble, but I want a safe environment in which to fly. I think center should be required to call all traffic for IFR flts at least above 10000 ft. In all fairness, I realize this does not happen often, but it only takes once. The plane crossing in front of me was about 12 inches long in my windshield, if someone knows how to convert that to ft. It was too close for me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR ACFT DSNDS THROUGH IFR ALT. NO TA FROM CTR.

Narrative: I WAS ON IFR FLT PLAN. VFR AT THE TIME, 3-5 MINS BEFORE I WAS IN AND OUT OF CLOUDS. A LOW WING AIRPLANE (I THINK AN SMA) CROSSED MY PATH IN FRONT OF ME FROM R TO L. NO TIME TO REACT. AS I LOOKED OUT MY L WINDOW, IT LOOKED AS IF HE WAS DSNDING. I'M NOT SURE IF HE EVER SAW ME. THIS TOOK PLACE AT 11000 FT. CTR NEVER RPTED ANYTHING. I KNOW THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SEPARATE IFR AND VFR TFC. I WAS TOLD THAT EMPHATICALLY AT A PREVIOUS TIME WHEN I CALLED TFC NOT RPTED BY CTR. MAYBE THAT'S WHY I SAID NOTHING TO CTR AT THE TIME. THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW CLOSE THE INCIDENT WAS TO BEING REAL SERIOUS, THE MORE I WISHED I WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING. YOU DON'T WANT TO GET PEOPLE IN TROUBLE, BUT I WANT A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO FLY. I THINK CTR SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO CALL ALL TFC FOR IFR FLTS AT LEAST ABOVE 10000 FT. IN ALL FAIRNESS, I REALIZE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT IT ONLY TAKES ONCE. THE PLANE XING IN FRONT OF ME WAS ABOUT 12 INCHES LONG IN MY WINDSHIELD, IF SOMEONE KNOWS HOW TO CONVERT THAT TO FT. IT WAS TOO CLOSE FOR ME.

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.