Narrative:

About 1/4 mi from the approach end of runway 32 I was cleared to cross over the airport (rdu) midfield, and was told to pass behind the dark blue cessna about 1/4 of the way down runway 5R on a takeoff roll. I reported that I had the traffic in sight. Shortly thereafter my moving map display started to flash on and off, followed by the north STAR LORAN pwring down. I started recycling the breakers that control those 2 navaids. When I looked up I realized that I am 2/3 of the way down runway 32 and it intersects with runway 5R and I have lost the cessna traffic. My passenger who has thousands of hours flying with me, said he had the traffic off his right shoulder. As I moved forward in my seat to look around my passenger so that I can see the traffic I am thinking that the cessna had to be very fast to get so far down the runway on departure. Now I am at the intersection of runway 32 and runway 5R. And quickly realizing my passenger had the wrong aircraft, I looked to my left and there was the cessna about 400 ft below, turning right and climbing. Concentrate on aircraft separation. Do not get distracted by other things in the cockpit while maintaining visual separation. I should have called ATC the moment I lost sight of the cessna and I should not have relied on my passenger. When crossing over airports it makes better sense to cross over the approach end numbers at 1500 ft so there is no chance of any conflict with arriving and departing aircraft. The solid dark blue cessna did not contrast well with the dark gray buildings on the airport on this gloomy day. Paint your aircraft so it can be seen.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 32 I WAS CLRED TO CROSS OVER THE ARPT (RDU) MIDFIELD, AND WAS TOLD TO PASS BEHIND THE DARK BLUE CESSNA ABOUT 1/4 OF THE WAY DOWN RWY 5R ON A TKOF ROLL. I RPTED THAT I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER MY MOVING MAP DISPLAY STARTED TO FLASH ON AND OFF, FOLLOWED BY THE NORTH STAR LORAN PWRING DOWN. I STARTED RECYCLING THE BREAKERS THAT CTL THOSE 2 NAVAIDS. WHEN I LOOKED UP I REALIZED THAT I AM 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN RWY 32 AND IT INTERSECTS WITH RWY 5R AND I HAVE LOST THE CESSNA TFC. MY PAX WHO HAS THOUSANDS OF HRS FLYING WITH ME, SAID HE HAD THE TFC OFF HIS R SHOULDER. AS I MOVED FORWARD IN MY SEAT TO LOOK AROUND MY PAX SO THAT I CAN SEE THE TFC I AM THINKING THAT THE CESSNA HAD TO BE VERY FAST TO GET SO FAR DOWN THE RWY ON DEP. NOW I AM AT THE INTXN OF RWY 32 AND RWY 5R. AND QUICKLY REALIZING MY PAX HAD THE WRONG ACFT, I LOOKED TO MY L AND THERE WAS THE CESSNA ABOUT 400 FT BELOW, TURNING R AND CLBING. CONCENTRATE ON ACFT SEPARATION. DO NOT GET DISTRACTED BY OTHER THINGS IN THE COCKPIT WHILE MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED ATC THE MOMENT I LOST SIGHT OF THE CESSNA AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE RELIED ON MY PAX. WHEN XING OVER ARPTS IT MAKES BETTER SENSE TO CROSS OVER THE APCH END NUMBERS AT 1500 FT SO THERE IS NO CHANCE OF ANY CONFLICT WITH ARRIVING AND DEPARTING ACFT. THE SOLID DARK BLUE CESSNA DID NOT CONTRAST WELL WITH THE DARK GRAY BUILDINGS ON THE ARPT ON THIS GLOOMY DAY. PAINT YOUR ACFT SO IT CAN BE SEEN.

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.