An small aircraft has an near midair collision while cruising at 2500 ft in ZDC airspace.

Attributes
ACN	392601
Time
Date	199801
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mfv
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	392601
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cruising on V139, swl to ccv, I came abeam mfv approximately 5 mi west of the field. I was adjusting avionics, looked up and saw a C152/172 in the upper left of my window. We were going to clear each other but I nosed down anyway. Cessna was heading westward (to cross the chesapeake bay?). Ceiling was variable approximately 3500 ft. I was intentionally west of the VOR to remain clear of mfv. I suspect the cessna was departing mfv VFR to the west to cross the chesapeake bay and was preoccupied with post takeoff cockpit actions. I was also tuning radios. The close proximity of the airway to the airport and low ceiling tends to compress VFR traffic into a small area, especially for aircraft crossing the chesapeake bay that want as much altitude as possible. VFR pilots and parachute jumpers operating out of airfields so close to airways need to be more conscious of potential conflicts. I could/should have used flight following.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA HAS AN NMAC WHILE CRUISING AT 2500 FT IN ZDC AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CRUISING ON V139, SWL TO CCV, I CAME ABEAM MFV APPROX 5 MI W OF THE FIELD. I WAS ADJUSTING AVIONICS, LOOKED UP AND SAW A C152/172 IN THE UPPER L OF MY WINDOW. WE WERE GOING TO CLR EACH OTHER BUT I NOSED DOWN ANYWAY. CESSNA WAS HEADING WESTWARD (TO CROSS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY?). CEILING WAS VARIABLE APPROX 3500 FT. I WAS INTENTIONALLY W OF THE VOR TO REMAIN CLR OF MFV. I SUSPECT THE CESSNA WAS DEPARTING MFV VFR TO THE W TO CROSS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH POST TKOF COCKPIT ACTIONS. I WAS ALSO TUNING RADIOS. THE CLOSE PROX OF THE AIRWAY TO THE ARPT AND LOW CEILING TENDS TO COMPRESS VFR TFC INTO A SMALL AREA, ESPECIALLY FOR ACFT XING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY THAT WANT AS MUCH ALT AS POSSIBLE. VFR PLTS AND PARACHUTE JUMPERS OPERATING OUT OF AIRFIELDS SO CLOSE TO AIRWAYS NEED TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS. I COULD/SHOULD HAVE USED FLT FOLLOWING.

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.