A commercial pilot in a PA28-140 has an near midair collision with an unidented twin at the same altitude, opposite direction traffic, northwest of rdu, nc.

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Attributes
ACN	478877
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu.tracon tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 390 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	478877
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The fact that I was utilizing radar TA's at the time of this near midair collision probably saved the 4 lives of those in my aircraft and the 1 or more aboard the twin that we almost collided with. The controller apologized for not seeing this target and explained that he must have 'just turned his transponder on.' in addition, the other aircraft was 'sebound' -- why was he cruising at an 'even +500' altitude? I always had the notion that multi-engine rated pilots were somehow better than the rest of us! Human performance considerations: VFR pilots should use flight following when able. 1) the controller would have told him he was at the wrong altitude. 2) his transponder off condition would have also been noticed. Perhaps altitude reporting should somehow be engineered into the avionics in an automatic way so that it can't become a forgotten item on a checklist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COMMERCIAL PLT IN A PA28-140 HAS AN NMAC WITH AN UNIDENTED TWIN AT THE SAME ALT, OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, NW OF RDU, NC.

Narrative: THE FACT THAT I WAS UTILIZING RADAR TA'S AT THE TIME OF THIS NMAC PROBABLY SAVED THE 4 LIVES OF THOSE IN MY ACFT AND THE 1 OR MORE ABOARD THE TWIN THAT WE ALMOST COLLIDED WITH. THE CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR NOT SEEING THIS TARGET AND EXPLAINED THAT HE MUST HAVE 'JUST TURNED HIS XPONDER ON.' IN ADDITION, THE OTHER ACFT WAS 'SEBOUND' -- WHY WAS HE CRUISING AT AN 'EVEN +500' ALT? I ALWAYS HAD THE NOTION THAT MULTI-ENG RATED PLTS WERE SOMEHOW BETTER THAN THE REST OF US! HUMAN PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: VFR PLTS SHOULD USE FLT FOLLOWING WHEN ABLE. 1) THE CTLR WOULD HAVE TOLD HIM HE WAS AT THE WRONG ALT. 2) HIS XPONDER OFF CONDITION WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN NOTICED. PERHAPS ALT RPTING SHOULD SOMEHOW BE ENGINEERED INTO THE AVIONICS IN AN AUTOMATIC WAY SO THAT IT CAN'T BECOME A FORGOTTEN ITEM ON A CHKLIST.

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.