Small aircraft on practice approach has near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	321001
Time
Date	199511
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ocn
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 425 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	321001
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Flying under simulated instrument conditions (foggles) with cfii in right seat, we had descended in the holding pattern from 4500 ft to 3000 ft. Socal approach was being monitored and I had noticed that an aircraft was requesting the VOR 'a' approach at ocn. The flight instructor and I were not paying very close attention to the radio calls to this aircraft. After completing our holding pattern practice at 4500 ft, the cfii suggested I descend to a lower altitude and obtain a pop up clearance from socal approach. Shortly after making radio contact with approach control, the controller called out traffic at 11 O'clock and less than a mi to the other aircraft he was working. I knew that the traffic he was talking about must be us, so I removed my foggles as the cfii took evasive action. I viewed the high wing aircraft pass approximately 200 ft below from my 10 O'clock position. Conclusions: should not leave a higher altitude for the published approach altitude prior to establishing radio contact with approach control facility. The controller's workload seemed average to me, so I'm not sure why we were not notified earlier on radar prior to our initial call. We were squawking VFR mode C up to this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON PRACTICE APCH HAS NMAC.

Narrative: FLYING UNDER SIMULATED INST CONDITIONS (FOGGLES) WITH CFII IN R SEAT, WE HAD DSNDED IN THE HOLDING PATTERN FROM 4500 FT TO 3000 FT. SOCAL APCH WAS BEING MONITORED AND I HAD NOTICED THAT AN ACFT WAS REQUESTING THE VOR 'A' APCH AT OCN. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR AND I WERE NOT PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTN TO THE RADIO CALLS TO THIS ACFT. AFTER COMPLETING OUR HOLDING PATTERN PRACTICE AT 4500 FT, THE CFII SUGGESTED I DSND TO A LOWER ALT AND OBTAIN A POP UP CLRNC FROM SOCAL APCH. SHORTLY AFTER MAKING RADIO CONTACT WITH APCH CTL, THE CTLR CALLED OUT TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK AND LESS THAN A MI TO THE OTHER ACFT HE WAS WORKING. I KNEW THAT THE TFC HE WAS TALKING ABOUT MUST BE US, SO I REMOVED MY FOGGLES AS THE CFII TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. I VIEWED THE HIGH WING ACFT PASS APPROX 200 FT BELOW FROM MY 10 O'CLOCK POS. CONCLUSIONS: SHOULD NOT LEAVE A HIGHER ALT FOR THE PUBLISHED APCH ALT PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING RADIO CONTACT WITH APCH CTL FACILITY. THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD SEEMED AVERAGE TO ME, SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED EARLIER ON RADAR PRIOR TO OUR INITIAL CALL. WE WERE SQUAWKING VFR MODE C UP TO THIS TIME.

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.