Near midair collision between a piper PA32 in level flight at 2800 ft MSL at an intersection of 2 vi...

Attributes
ACN	500295
Time
Date	200102
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : diano
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : avp.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : v163.airway
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : avp.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	500295
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac conflict : airborne critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On a VFR flight from ptw to ipt at 2800 ft, V164, 324 degree radials, allentown approach gave me advisories to the end of their airspace. Allentown then advised me to squawk 1200 and call avp approach in 5 mins. It was exactly XA25 at that time. At XA30 I called avp approach. I was told to squawk 1200 and identify. Did not hear back for several mins. Finally, avp came back and told me he missed my identify and would I do it again. While in the process of giving me a squawk code, my copilot pointed out the cessna at my 10 O'clock position, descending directly across my path. We were no further than 50 ft apart! After I gathered myself, I asked avp if he had us on his screen. Instead of answering me, the controller asked the cessna if he had seen me. The cessna replied 'not until I was on top of him.' I then asked avp if he had us on his screen. There was a pause, and then he came back, 'your transponder is intermittent.' the controller never answered my question. Mins later, he handed me off to ZNY and the flight was uneventful for the remaining time to williamsport. At no time before or after this flight has any controller ever said my transponder was not working correctly. There was no time for evasive action. Had we crossed paths 50 ft closer, I would not be writing this. It is only by the grace of god we are still here. My eyes were diverted when tuning in the transponder. I cannot explain the cessna's eyes, but where were the controller's eyes? Did he have us on his screen or not?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A PIPER PA32 IN LEVEL FLT AT 2800 FT MSL AT AN INTXN OF 2 VICTOR AIRWAYS, AND A C172 DSNDING AND XING IN FRONT OF THE PA32 ON THE XING AIRWAY. BOTH ACFT WERE ON ATC FLT FOLLOWING.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM PTW TO IPT AT 2800 FT, V164, 324 DEG RADIALS, ALLENTOWN APCH GAVE ME ADVISORIES TO THE END OF THEIR AIRSPACE. ALLENTOWN THEN ADVISED ME TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CALL AVP APCH IN 5 MINS. IT WAS EXACTLY XA25 AT THAT TIME. AT XA30 I CALLED AVP APCH. I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200 AND IDENT. DID NOT HEAR BACK FOR SEVERAL MINS. FINALLY, AVP CAME BACK AND TOLD ME HE MISSED MY IDENT AND WOULD I DO IT AGAIN. WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF GIVING ME A SQUAWK CODE, MY COPLT POINTED OUT THE CESSNA AT MY 10 O'CLOCK POS, DSNDING DIRECTLY ACROSS MY PATH. WE WERE NO FURTHER THAN 50 FT APART! AFTER I GATHERED MYSELF, I ASKED AVP IF HE HAD US ON HIS SCREEN. INSTEAD OF ANSWERING ME, THE CTLR ASKED THE CESSNA IF HE HAD SEEN ME. THE CESSNA REPLIED 'NOT UNTIL I WAS ON TOP OF HIM.' I THEN ASKED AVP IF HE HAD US ON HIS SCREEN. THERE WAS A PAUSE, AND THEN HE CAME BACK, 'YOUR XPONDER IS INTERMITTENT.' THE CTLR NEVER ANSWERED MY QUESTION. MINS LATER, HE HANDED ME OFF TO ZNY AND THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL FOR THE REMAINING TIME TO WILLIAMSPORT. AT NO TIME BEFORE OR AFTER THIS FLT HAS ANY CTLR EVER SAID MY XPONDER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR EVASIVE ACTION. HAD WE CROSSED PATHS 50 FT CLOSER, I WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS. IT IS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE ARE STILL HERE. MY EYES WERE DIVERTED WHEN TUNING IN THE XPONDER. I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE CESSNA'S EYES, BUT WHERE WERE THE CTLR'S EYES? DID HE HAVE US ON HIS SCREEN OR NOT?

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.

Near midair collision between a piper PA32 in level flight at 2800 ft MSL at an intersection of 2 victor airways, and a C172 descending and crossing in front of the PA32 on the crossing airway. Both aircraft were on ATC flight following.