Aircraft turns to keep away from air carrier.

Attributes
ACN	295964
Time
Date	199502
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sax
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12500 msl bound upper : 12500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 930 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	295964
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2800 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route to pne from alb via ign VOR at 12500 ft VFR. Some cloud tops were higher than 11500 ft, so we were diverting around these buildups. Previously, contact was made with ZNY for flight following. Center could not assist, so we maintained a radio watch with ZNY and heard our aircraft described as swbound VFR at 12500 ft. Shortly thereafter we potted an airliner (md-80, not sure) 600-800 ft below us and to our right climbing northbound. We turned slightly left to maintain separation and possible wake turbulence as the airliner climbed through our altitude. The airliner inaccurately reported us 'in the clouds' and then proceeded to give a full description of our aircraft, as he climbed pasts us. The cloud buildups persisted so we did climb to 14500 ft. After our clearance and letdown into pne, we did not go IMC until approximately 11000 ft. Situation could have been avoided, if we could have maintained flight following with ZNY. Boston was unable to pass us along and ZNY was too busy to pick us up. Also, IFR rtes alb-pne are well west of direct over mountainous terrain. Single engine operations the preferred route is 'down the hudson' to ign then direct pne where airports abound all along the route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT TURNS TO KEEP AWAY FROM ACR.

Narrative: ENRTE TO PNE FROM ALB VIA IGN VOR AT 12500 FT VFR. SOME CLOUD TOPS WERE HIGHER THAN 11500 FT, SO WE WERE DIVERTING AROUND THESE BUILDUPS. PREVIOUSLY, CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ZNY FOR FLT FOLLOWING. CTR COULD NOT ASSIST, SO WE MAINTAINED A RADIO WATCH WITH ZNY AND HEARD OUR ACFT DESCRIBED AS SWBOUND VFR AT 12500 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE POTTED AN AIRLINER (MD-80, NOT SURE) 600-800 FT BELOW US AND TO OUR R CLBING NBOUND. WE TURNED SLIGHTLY L TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION AND POSSIBLE WAKE TURB AS THE AIRLINER CLBED THROUGH OUR ALT. THE AIRLINER INACCURATELY RPTED US 'IN THE CLOUDS' AND THEN PROCEEDED TO GIVE A FULL DESCRIPTION OF OUR ACFT, AS HE CLBED PASTS US. THE CLOUD BUILDUPS PERSISTED SO WE DID CLB TO 14500 FT. AFTER OUR CLRNC AND LETDOWN INTO PNE, WE DID NOT GO IMC UNTIL APPROX 11000 FT. SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, IF WE COULD HAVE MAINTAINED FLT FOLLOWING WITH ZNY. BOSTON WAS UNABLE TO PASS US ALONG AND ZNY WAS TOO BUSY TO PICK US UP. ALSO, IFR RTES ALB-PNE ARE WELL W OF DIRECT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. SINGLE ENG OPS THE PREFERRED RTE IS 'DOWN THE HUDSON' TO IGN THEN DIRECT PNE WHERE ARPTS ABOUND ALL ALONG THE RTE.

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.