Narrative:

I entered grr airspace with handoff from muskegon. I was navigating with pilotage and dead reckoning as required on my solo cross country. I believe approach handed me to departure. As I passed the city (airport in sight) and checked my check points, I glanced up and saw a high wing aircraft at 11 O'clock, about level, about the size of my hand (3 by 5 inches). I was startled, and immediately banked to my right. I watched the aircraft pass off my left wing (about the size of 2 fingers). Could not read the numbers. I checked in with control about separation and was advised about incorrect frequency. Apparently frequency was dialed in, but not changed over. I checked in with departure and continued the flight without incident. It seems I focused too much on navigating and failed to complete one task before starting another. Next time I will consider the action of a frequency change to be a complete task with 3 steps -- read back frequency, change frequency, announce on frequency. This was the final of my cross country. Although not tired, I was very excited (about flying) and was also taking in the view. While the aircraft seemed to appear from nowhere, I believe my scanning techniques are effective (otherwise, it would have been closer). However, I feel inept when it comes to judging distances, it's easy at my home airport when I'm used to the surroundings. I'll have to revisit the literature to see if any techniques are mentioned. As for the frequency change, the amount of commercial traffic was light on both frequencys. If I heard the same voice when I thought I was on a different frequency, then I would have realized my mistake sooner. Does a controller know if they are about to receive new aircraft from another controller in the same airspace?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT OF AN SMA SEL TOOK EVASIVE ACTION TURN TO AVOID ANOTHER ACFT IN ARSA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I ENTERED GRR AIRSPACE WITH HDOF FROM MUSKEGON. I WAS NAVING WITH PILOTAGE AND DEAD RECKONING AS REQUIRED ON MY SOLO XCOUNTRY. I BELIEVE APCH HANDED ME TO DEP. AS I PASSED THE CITY (ARPT IN SIGHT) AND CHKED MY CHK POINTS, I GLANCED UP AND SAW A HIGH WING ACFT AT 11 O'CLOCK, ABOUT LEVEL, ABOUT THE SIZE OF MY HAND (3 BY 5 INCHES). I WAS STARTLED, AND IMMEDIATELY BANKED TO MY R. I WATCHED THE ACFT PASS OFF MY L WING (ABOUT THE SIZE OF 2 FINGERS). COULD NOT READ THE NUMBERS. I CHKED IN WITH CTL ABOUT SEPARATION AND WAS ADVISED ABOUT INCORRECT FREQ. APPARENTLY FREQ WAS DIALED IN, BUT NOT CHANGED OVER. I CHKED IN WITH DEP AND CONTINUED THE FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT SEEMS I FOCUSED TOO MUCH ON NAVING AND FAILED TO COMPLETE ONE TASK BEFORE STARTING ANOTHER. NEXT TIME I WILL CONSIDER THE ACTION OF A FREQ CHANGE TO BE A COMPLETE TASK WITH 3 STEPS -- READ BACK FREQ, CHANGE FREQ, ANNOUNCE ON FREQ. THIS WAS THE FINAL OF MY XCOUNTRY. ALTHOUGH NOT TIRED, I WAS VERY EXCITED (ABOUT FLYING) AND WAS ALSO TAKING IN THE VIEW. WHILE THE ACFT SEEMED TO APPEAR FROM NOWHERE, I BELIEVE MY SCANNING TECHNIQUES ARE EFFECTIVE (OTHERWISE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSER). HOWEVER, I FEEL INEPT WHEN IT COMES TO JUDGING DISTANCES, IT'S EASY AT MY HOME ARPT WHEN I'M USED TO THE SURROUNDINGS. I'LL HAVE TO REVISIT THE LITERATURE TO SEE IF ANY TECHNIQUES ARE MENTIONED. AS FOR THE FREQ CHANGE, THE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL TFC WAS LIGHT ON BOTH FREQS. IF I HEARD THE SAME VOICE WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS ON A DIFFERENT FREQ, THEN I WOULD HAVE REALIZED MY MISTAKE SOONER. DOES A CTLR KNOW IF THEY ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE NEW ACFT FROM ANOTHER CTLR IN THE SAME AIRSPACE?

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.