Near midair collision between 2 C172 type aircraft just inside an arsa (class C) airspace.

Attributes
ACN	281328
Time
Date	199408
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : isp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 13 flight time total : 398 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	281328
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After contacting new york approach, he called our sign, we entered the arsa at about 2000 ft and he assigned vector of 330 degrees. We turned and a min or 2 later, noticed another C172 approximately 400-500 ft to our port side at our altitude heading in the opposite direction. When noted, he was abeam our aircraft. No corrective action was taken as he'd passed us. About 40 seconds later, new york approach controller reported we had traffic that was 'no longer a factor.' my impression is alertness in our aircraft was reduced by the erroneous assumption that one need not be as vigilant as we were receiving radar vectors and any other aircraft would be kept a safe distance from our aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN 2 C172 TYPE ACFT JUST INSIDE AN ARSA (CLASS C) AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AFTER CONTACTING NEW YORK APCH, HE CALLED OUR SIGN, WE ENTERED THE ARSA AT ABOUT 2000 FT AND HE ASSIGNED VECTOR OF 330 DEGS. WE TURNED AND A MIN OR 2 LATER, NOTICED ANOTHER C172 APPROX 400-500 FT TO OUR PORT SIDE AT OUR ALT HDG IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WHEN NOTED, HE WAS ABEAM OUR ACFT. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN AS HE'D PASSED US. ABOUT 40 SECONDS LATER, NEW YORK APCH CTLR RPTED WE HAD TFC THAT WAS 'NO LONGER A FACTOR.' MY IMPRESSION IS ALERTNESS IN OUR ACFT WAS REDUCED BY THE ERRONEOUS ASSUMPTION THAT ONE NEED NOT BE AS VIGILANT AS WE WERE RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS AND ANY OTHER ACFT WOULD BE KEPT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM OUR ACFT.

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.