Narrative:

While on an IFR flight plan in VMC, our aircraft was cleared to descend from 10000 ft to 4000 ft by ZMP. During this descent, I spotted opposite direction traffic slightly below us. Due to the close proximity of the traffic (less than 1 mi) I shouted 'traffic' and pointed straight ahead. The captain looked up and banked the aircraft 60-90 degrees left to avoid a collision. The other aircraft passed by our right side at approximately 200-300 ft, and above us about 200 ft or so. We were not advised by ATC of any traffic and were very shocked at what had just happened. I then told center that we had just missed hitting another aircraft and asked if he had us in radar contact. He confirmed we were under radar contact and that the other aircraft was VFR and was not talking to him. At this time the other aircraft called on frequency and stated he was the aircraft we almost hit and that he was under 'VFR advisories.' center and this other aircraft attempted to iron out this confusion. We were 10 NM from pellston (our destination) and had the airport in sight. We terminated IFR with center and proceeded visually into traffic and landed. After conversations with center supervisor and center quality assurance mgrs, it is apparent that this geographical area is a haven for VFR pilots during summer months. There is also an increased volume of IFR (cpr) jet traffic along with commuter traffic during this same time frame. It is also apparent that the ATC system failed in its primary job of traffic separation for our aircraft in this area. See and avoid has taken on a new meaning to me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC HAD A NEAR MISS WITH AN ACFT NEAR PLN.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN VMC, OUR ACFT WAS CLRED TO DSND FROM 10000 FT TO 4000 FT BY ZMP. DURING THIS DSCNT, I SPOTTED OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC SLIGHTLY BELOW US. DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE TFC (LESS THAN 1 MI) I SHOUTED 'TFC' AND POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE CAPT LOOKED UP AND BANKED THE ACFT 60-90 DEGS L TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE OTHER ACFT PASSED BY OUR R SIDE AT APPROX 200-300 FT, AND ABOVE US ABOUT 200 FT OR SO. WE WERE NOT ADVISED BY ATC OF ANY TFC AND WERE VERY SHOCKED AT WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. I THEN TOLD CTR THAT WE HAD JUST MISSED HITTING ANOTHER ACFT AND ASKED IF HE HAD US IN RADAR CONTACT. HE CONFIRMED WE WERE UNDER RADAR CONTACT AND THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS VFR AND WAS NOT TALKING TO HIM. AT THIS TIME THE OTHER ACFT CALLED ON FREQ AND STATED HE WAS THE ACFT WE ALMOST HIT AND THAT HE WAS UNDER 'VFR ADVISORIES.' CTR AND THIS OTHER ACFT ATTEMPTED TO IRON OUT THIS CONFUSION. WE WERE 10 NM FROM PELLSTON (OUR DEST) AND HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE TERMINATED IFR WITH CTR AND PROCEEDED VISUALLY INTO TFC AND LANDED. AFTER CONVERSATIONS WITH CTR SUPVR AND CTR QUALITY ASSURANCE MGRS, IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IS A HAVEN FOR VFR PLTS DURING SUMMER MONTHS. THERE IS ALSO AN INCREASED VOLUME OF IFR (CPR) JET TFC ALONG WITH COMMUTER TFC DURING THIS SAME TIME FRAME. IT IS ALSO APPARENT THAT THE ATC SYS FAILED IN ITS PRIMARY JOB OF TFC SEPARATION FOR OUR ACFT IN THIS AREA. SEE AND AVOID HAS TAKEN ON A NEW MEANING TO ME.

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.