Near midair collision within class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	312417
Time
Date	199507
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lan
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mbs
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 273 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	312417
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 250
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cruising at 2500 ft MSL which placed us about 600-700 ft below a broken layer of buildups. We knew the base of the layer to be about 3200 ft MSL because we had an earlier descent through a hole to remain VFR. Both of us were looking straight ahead and discussing the flight at the time of our near miss. We both caught sight of a single engine cessna at our 10 O'clock position almost directly above us. By the time we saw the other aircraft, it had already descended through our altitude and now at our 4 O'clock position. I asked saginaw approach if they were aware of another aircraft in our area. I was informed that we were the only target in our area. I advised them of the other airplane and we were told to squawk 1200 because we were leaving his airspace. We were also advised that they have poor radar coverage in this area. Although I don't feel we had a false sense of security because we were getting radar advisories, it always remains a possibility. The fact that there was poor radar coverage in this area and a false sense of security may be considered contributing factors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC WITHIN CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE CRUISING AT 2500 FT MSL WHICH PLACED US ABOUT 600-700 FT BELOW A BROKEN LAYER OF BUILDUPS. WE KNEW THE BASE OF THE LAYER TO BE ABOUT 3200 FT MSL BECAUSE WE HAD AN EARLIER DSCNT THROUGH A HOLE TO REMAIN VFR. BOTH OF US WERE LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD AND DISCUSSING THE FLT AT THE TIME OF OUR NEAR MISS. WE BOTH CAUGHT SIGHT OF A SINGLE ENG CESSNA AT OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS ALMOST DIRECTLY ABOVE US. BY THE TIME WE SAW THE OTHER ACFT, IT HAD ALREADY DSNDED THROUGH OUR ALT AND NOW AT OUR 4 O'CLOCK POS. I ASKED SAGINAW APCH IF THEY WERE AWARE OF ANOTHER ACFT IN OUR AREA. I WAS INFORMED THAT WE WERE THE ONLY TARGET IN OUR AREA. I ADVISED THEM OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE AND WE WERE TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200 BECAUSE WE WERE LEAVING HIS AIRSPACE. WE WERE ALSO ADVISED THAT THEY HAVE POOR RADAR COVERAGE IN THIS AREA. ALTHOUGH I DON'T FEEL WE HAD A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BECAUSE WE WERE GETTING RADAR ADVISORIES, IT ALWAYS REMAINS A POSSIBILITY. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS POOR RADAR COVERAGE IN THIS AREA AND A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY MAY BE CONSIDERED CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

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.