Narrative:

The near miss happened 3 NM north of houston gulf airport (spx) at 700 ft. Due to an unusual spring time cool front, the wind was from the north at approximately 15-20 KTS, making a northbound departure necessary. During climb out I leveled off at 700 ft in order to easily locate a house on the ground (for my passenger). At this point I was no longer in the immediate vicinity of spx's traffic pattern. I could not proceed further north, however due to the control ring around ellington airfield (efd). Having located the point (on the ground) I began a turn about the point. During my second and final turn, my copilot called 'traffic!' approximately 75-100 ft above us I saw a white mooney (single engine) in a steep left bank. I was already engaged in a left turn - I increased my bank substantially, added full power, and discontinued my sight- seeing activities over the house. I had no time for evasive action - I could only continue the attitude I was already in, then proceed to quickly leave the area. It all happened too fast. Contributing factors: I was flying a high wing C-172 at a lower altitude than the low wing mooney. Also, there is not much area between spx and efd. The airspace is small and cramped. Human performance: I did not have time to think, blink, or evade. I reacted calmly and deliberately. I interviewed a ground witness who said 'the white airplane came out of nowhere.' he said he thought we were going to collide. The color of my airplane was blue over white - it is very visible from distances. WX conditions: approximately 4500 ft light overcast, gusty winds from the north, 15 mi reported visibility. Possible cause: the inability of both pilots to see each other. I cannot think of any better reason for this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR HAS NEAR MID AIR.

Narrative: THE NEAR MISS HAPPENED 3 NM N OF HOUSTON GULF ARPT (SPX) AT 700 FT. DUE TO AN UNUSUAL SPRING TIME COOL FRONT, THE WIND WAS FROM THE N AT APPROX 15-20 KTS, MAKING A NBOUND DEP NECESSARY. DURING CLBOUT I LEVELED OFF AT 700 FT IN ORDER TO EASILY LOCATE A HOUSE ON THE GND (FOR MY PAX). AT THIS POINT I WAS NO LONGER IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF SPX'S TFC PATTERN. I COULD NOT PROCEED FURTHER N, HOWEVER DUE TO THE CTL RING AROUND ELLINGTON AIRFIELD (EFD). HAVING LOCATED THE POINT (ON THE GND) I BEGAN A TURN ABOUT THE POINT. DURING MY SECOND AND FINAL TURN, MY COPLT CALLED 'TFC!' APPROX 75-100 FT ABOVE US I SAW A WHITE MOONEY (SINGLE ENG) IN A STEEP L BANK. I WAS ALREADY ENGAGED IN A L TURN - I INCREASED MY BANK SUBSTANTIALLY, ADDED FULL PWR, AND DISCONTINUED MY SIGHT- SEEING ACTIVITIES OVER THE HOUSE. I HAD NO TIME FOR EVASIVE ACTION - I COULD ONLY CONTINUE THE ATTITUDE I WAS ALREADY IN, THEN PROCEED TO QUICKLY LEAVE THE AREA. IT ALL HAPPENED TOO FAST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I WAS FLYING A HIGH WING C-172 AT A LOWER ALT THAN THE LOW WING MOONEY. ALSO, THERE IS NOT MUCH AREA BTWN SPX AND EFD. THE AIRSPACE IS SMALL AND CRAMPED. HUMAN PERFORMANCE: I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO THINK, BLINK, OR EVADE. I REACTED CALMLY AND DELIBERATELY. I INTERVIEWED A GND WITNESS WHO SAID 'THE WHITE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.' HE SAID HE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO COLLIDE. THE COLOR OF MY AIRPLANE WAS BLUE OVER WHITE - IT IS VERY VISIBLE FROM DISTANCES. WX CONDITIONS: APPROX 4500 FT LIGHT OVCST, GUSTY WINDS FROM THE N, 15 MI RPTED VISIBILITY. POSSIBLE CAUSE: THE INABILITY OF BOTH PLTS TO SEE EACH OTHER. I CANNOT THINK OF ANY BETTER REASON FOR THIS INCIDENT.

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.