PA28 on IFR training flight hears VFR traffic inbound at the same altitude. Traffic not issued to re...

Attributes
ACN	366150
Time
Date	199704
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mie
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mie
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Flight Phase	cruise other landing : go around
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	366150
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

An instrument student and myself were on an IFR training flight to mie and on an instrument flight plan. We had finished an ILS approach to runway 32 to a miss and the mie tower controller told us to fly runway heading to 3000 ft. As we continued outbound to the northwest, another aircraft called 8 mi northwest at 3000 ft landing mie. This is where the problem began. I think the controller forgot to hand us off to ZID because he became busy with this other aircraft. We continued outbound at 3000 ft and kept looking for the approaching aircraft. I spotted the airplane inbound at our altitude and about 1 mi opposite direction. We deviated to the right just to make sure we maintained a safe separation and called the tower to tell them of our turn to avoid traffic. The controller said we were supposed to be with ZID and I informed him he had never cleared us to the center frequency. He then told us to contact ZID and without further incident we shot another approach at mie. When we were back on mie tower frequency for the approach, the controller apologized for his error. This situation could have been worse had we or the other aircraft not been spotted. We would have been in a near miss or worse situation. The controller became distraction and busy. It is difficult, at times, for everyone when mixing VFR and IFR flts, especially training flts. This seems to be even more difficult in good VFR WX. The controller should have cleared us to ZID. I also should have taken the initiative sooner and questioned the mie tower controller, although it had not been more than 1 - 1 1/2 mins after the missed approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 ON IFR TRAINING FLT HEARS VFR TFC INBOUND AT THE SAME ALT. TFC NOT ISSUED TO RPTR. RPTR THINKS THE CTLR FORGOT TO SEND THEM TO THE CTR FREQ. RPTR HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND TURNED TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SEPARATION.

Narrative: AN INST STUDENT AND MYSELF WERE ON AN IFR TRAINING FLT TO MIE AND ON AN INST FLT PLAN. WE HAD FINISHED AN ILS APCH TO RWY 32 TO A MISS AND THE MIE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO FLY RWY HDG TO 3000 FT. AS WE CONTINUED OUTBOUND TO THE NW, ANOTHER ACFT CALLED 8 MI NW AT 3000 FT LNDG MIE. THIS IS WHERE THE PROB BEGAN. I THINK THE CTLR FORGOT TO HAND US OFF TO ZID BECAUSE HE BECAME BUSY WITH THIS OTHER ACFT. WE CONTINUED OUTBOUND AT 3000 FT AND KEPT LOOKING FOR THE APCHING ACFT. I SPOTTED THE AIRPLANE INBOUND AT OUR ALT AND ABOUT 1 MI OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE DEVIATED TO THE R JUST TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAINED A SAFE SEPARATION AND CALLED THE TWR TO TELL THEM OF OUR TURN TO AVOID TFC. THE CTLR SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WITH ZID AND I INFORMED HIM HE HAD NEVER CLRED US TO THE CTR FREQ. HE THEN TOLD US TO CONTACT ZID AND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT WE SHOT ANOTHER APCH AT MIE. WHEN WE WERE BACK ON MIE TWR FREQ FOR THE APCH, THE CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR HIS ERROR. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE HAD WE OR THE OTHER ACFT NOT BEEN SPOTTED. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A NEAR MISS OR WORSE SIT. THE CTLR BECAME DISTR AND BUSY. IT IS DIFFICULT, AT TIMES, FOR EVERYONE WHEN MIXING VFR AND IFR FLTS, ESPECIALLY TRAINING FLTS. THIS SEEMS TO BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT IN GOOD VFR WX. THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE CLRED US TO ZID. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE SOONER AND QUESTIONED THE MIE TWR CTLR, ALTHOUGH IT HAD NOT BEEN MORE THAN 1 - 1 1/2 MINS AFTER THE MISSED APCH.

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.

PA28 on IFR training flight hears VFR traffic inbound at the same altitude. Traffic not issued to reporter. Reporter thinks the controller forgot to send them to the center frequency. Reporter had the traffic in sight and turned to maintain a safe separation.