Near midair collision between an small aircraft in cruise at 1500 ft MSL and a cessna 402 on vector ...

Attributes
ACN	521722
Time
Date	200108
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mvy.vor
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : k90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : k90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna 402/402C/B379 Businessliner/Utiliner
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	521722
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I had departed a small uncontrolled field (5b6) about 15 mi northeast of our destination, martha's vineyard (mvy). We were operating VFR in marginal VMC conditions of 25000 ft broken and 3 mi visibility. Flight time to the vineyard was insufficient to obtain VFR advisories, so an IFR clearance obtained on the ground was the only option for radar service. We elected to proceed VFR. Shortly after departure at 1500 ft, I observed a cessna 402C 45 degrees off my right nose at my altitude, and felt we were on a collision course. I entered a 45 degree bank descending turn to the right, avoiding the other aircraft by about 500 ft horizontally. The other aircraft did not appear to deviate. I believe the other pilot did not see my aircraft until we were passing abeam in opposite directions. The C402 appeared to be on a vector for a downwind leg to the ILS runway 24 at the vineyard. We were about to contact the vineyard tower prior to entering the class D airspace when the conflict appeared. The see-and-avoid concept worked well enough to keep the 2 airplanes apart, but with little margin, considering only one of us appeared to see the other in time to deviate. We would have appeared in the other plane's left windshield while he was more difficult for me to see off my right side from my left seat position. This incident clearly illustrates the limitations of visual separation in low WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN SMA IN CRUISE AT 1500 FT MSL AND A CESSNA 402 ON VECTOR TO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE APCHING DEST ARPT RWY 24 ILS. THE RPTR TOOK EVASIVE ACTION, BUT NONE TAKEN BY THE C402.

Narrative: I HAD DEPARTED A SMALL UNCTLED FIELD (5B6) ABOUT 15 MI NE OF OUR DEST, MARTHA'S VINEYARD (MVY). WE WERE OPERATING VFR IN MARGINAL VMC CONDITIONS OF 25000 FT BROKEN AND 3 MI VISIBILITY. FLT TIME TO THE VINEYARD WAS INSUFFICIENT TO OBTAIN VFR ADVISORIES, SO AN IFR CLRNC OBTAINED ON THE GND WAS THE ONLY OPTION FOR RADAR SVC. WE ELECTED TO PROCEED VFR. SHORTLY AFTER DEP AT 1500 FT, I OBSERVED A CESSNA 402C 45 DEGS OFF MY R NOSE AT MY ALT, AND FELT WE WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE. I ENTERED A 45 DEG BANK DSNDING TURN TO THE R, AVOIDING THE OTHER ACFT BY ABOUT 500 FT HORIZLY. THE OTHER ACFT DID NOT APPEAR TO DEVIATE. I BELIEVE THE OTHER PLT DID NOT SEE MY ACFT UNTIL WE WERE PASSING ABEAM IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. THE C402 APPEARED TO BE ON A VECTOR FOR A DOWNWIND LEG TO THE ILS RWY 24 AT THE VINEYARD. WE WERE ABOUT TO CONTACT THE VINEYARD TWR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE CLASS D AIRSPACE WHEN THE CONFLICT APPEARED. THE SEE-AND-AVOID CONCEPT WORKED WELL ENOUGH TO KEEP THE 2 AIRPLANES APART, BUT WITH LITTLE MARGIN, CONSIDERING ONLY ONE OF US APPEARED TO SEE THE OTHER IN TIME TO DEVIATE. WE WOULD HAVE APPEARED IN THE OTHER PLANE'S L WINDSHIELD WHILE HE WAS MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SEE OFF MY R SIDE FROM MY L SEAT POS. THIS INCIDENT CLRLY ILLUSTRATES THE LIMITATIONS OF VISUAL SEPARATION IN LOW WX.

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 an small aircraft in cruise at 1500 ft MSL and a cessna 402 on vector to the downwind leg of the approaching destination airport runway 24 ILS. The reporter took evasive action, but none taken by the C402.