Narrative:

I experienced an near midair collision in class B airspace because I believe ATC did not understand my report that I had lost visual contact with reported traffic. Flying VFR from sba to sts, I had received clearance through the san francisco class B airspace from bay approach. I received the clearance when I was about 4 mi east of sjc (outside the class B airspace) and was cleared direct sgd VOR at 8500 ft. The ground track from that position to sgd was approximately 320 degrees. In the vicinity of 3 mi southeast hwd airport, to the best of my recollection, the following communications took place -- bay approach: reporter, traffic 3 O'clock, B737, 11000 ft, swbound, descending. Reporter: traffic in sight. Bay approach: reporter, turn heading 270 degrees for traffic. Reporter: that's a left turn 270 degrees. (I began the turn.) about 20 seconds later, reporter; approach, I have lost sight of that B737 behind my wind. About 20 seconds later, reporter: approach, I have lost sight of that B737 at my 6 O'clock position. About 15 seconds later, bay approach: (said something but I forgot what. I do not believe it was an acknowledgement of the lost visual contact, a vector or position report of the traffic.) about 30 seconds later, bay approach: reporter, resume own navigation. Reporter: own navigation. (At this point I assumed the traffic was no factor.) after turning back to hg 320 degrees, the B737 passed in front of me, with about 900 ft lateral and 200 ft vertical separation. Then, to the best of my recollection, the following communications took place -- reporter: approach, that B737 passed pretty close to me. Bay approach: weren't you in visual contact with him? Reporter: negative sir, I reported earlier that I lost contact with him. That was the last relevant communication with this controller, and I proceeded to sgd-sts and landed without incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PVT PLT HAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT AT 8500 FT WITH A B737 E MI SE OF HWD ARPT, CA.

Narrative: I EXPERIENCED AN NMAC IN CLASS B AIRSPACE BECAUSE I BELIEVE ATC DID NOT UNDERSTAND MY RPT THAT I HAD LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH RPTED TFC. FLYING VFR FROM SBA TO STS, I HAD RECEIVED CLRNC THROUGH THE SAN FRANCISCO CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM BAY APCH. I RECEIVED THE CLRNC WHEN I WAS ABOUT 4 MI E OF SJC (OUTSIDE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE) AND WAS CLRED DIRECT SGD VOR AT 8500 FT. THE GND TRACK FROM THAT POS TO SGD WAS APPROX 320 DEGS. IN THE VICINITY OF 3 MI SE HWD ARPT, TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, THE FOLLOWING COMS TOOK PLACE -- BAY APCH: RPTR, TFC 3 O'CLOCK, B737, 11000 FT, SWBOUND, DSNDING. RPTR: TFC IN SIGHT. BAY APCH: RPTR, TURN HDG 270 DEGS FOR TFC. RPTR: THAT'S A L TURN 270 DEGS. (I BEGAN THE TURN.) ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER, RPTR; APCH, I HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THAT B737 BEHIND MY WIND. ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER, RPTR: APCH, I HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THAT B737 AT MY 6 O'CLOCK POS. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER, BAY APCH: (SAID SOMETHING BUT I FORGOT WHAT. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE LOST VISUAL CONTACT, A VECTOR OR POS RPT OF THE TFC.) ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, BAY APCH: RPTR, RESUME OWN NAV. RPTR: OWN NAV. (AT THIS POINT I ASSUMED THE TFC WAS NO FACTOR.) AFTER TURNING BACK TO HG 320 DEGS, THE B737 PASSED IN FRONT OF ME, WITH ABOUT 900 FT LATERAL AND 200 FT VERT SEPARATION. THEN, TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, THE FOLLOWING COMS TOOK PLACE -- RPTR: APCH, THAT B737 PASSED PRETTY CLOSE TO ME. BAY APCH: WEREN'T YOU IN VISUAL CONTACT WITH HIM? RPTR: NEGATIVE SIR, I RPTED EARLIER THAT I LOST CONTACT WITH HIM. THAT WAS THE LAST RELEVANT COM WITH THIS CTLR, AND I PROCEEDED TO SGD-STS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.