Narrative:

I departed uncontrolled airport pattern from left downwind to the northeast climbing from 1600 ft pattern altitude to 3100 ft. Radioed position report at downwind and leaving pattern from the downwind. Reached 3000 ft MSL about 10 mi northeast of departure airport. Observed white flash at my 2 O'clock position -- same altitude. White flash was a single engine cessna that was maneuvering and diving about 1000 ft to my right off the nose (I and passenger only saw cessna when part of the top of its wing became visible during its dive. It disappeared in seconds below my right wing -- this aircraft has 54 ft wing span). Subsequent radio contact with cessna pilot on T31 CTAF indicated he thought we had had an near midair collision. I did not see the cessna for a long enough period of time to accurately judge our proximity (although the cessna appeared small during the brief time I could see it). During my turn from crosswind to downwind I heard a radio position report from a cessna maneuvering northeast of a town some 10 mi northwest of my departure airport. I was scanning all segments of the sky during climb out but was especially concerned with that northwest of my course because that's where I expected the maneuvering cessna to be (my course was to the northeast). I don't know if the cessna was maneuvering or on a straight and level course from my right at the time of this situation. I made no evasive action. The cessna had disappeared from my view below my right wing passing behind me before I could react. The poh for my aircraft does not allow landing light use for more than 10% of the total engine operating time (electrical load concern). However, I will use it from now on when within 10 mi of airports. (My tail mounted strobe was on.) I already scan for other aircraft using aim recommended fix sky segment method. Intense scanning for other aircraft when in congested airspace is obviously a most important aspect of VFR flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MOTOR GLIDER PLT EXPERIENCES CONFLICT WITH A SINGLE ENG CESSNA AT 3000 FT, 10 MI FROM HIS NON CTLED DEP ARPT. THE CESSNA WAS OBSERVED IN A DIVE OFF HIS R WING.

Narrative: I DEPARTED UNCTLED ARPT PATTERN FROM L DOWNWIND TO THE NE CLBING FROM 1600 FT PATTERN ALT TO 3100 FT. RADIOED POS RPT AT DOWNWIND AND LEAVING PATTERN FROM THE DOWNWIND. REACHED 3000 FT MSL ABOUT 10 MI NE OF DEP ARPT. OBSERVED WHITE FLASH AT MY 2 O'CLOCK POS -- SAME ALT. WHITE FLASH WAS A SINGLE ENG CESSNA THAT WAS MANEUVERING AND DIVING ABOUT 1000 FT TO MY R OFF THE NOSE (I AND PAX ONLY SAW CESSNA WHEN PART OF THE TOP OF ITS WING BECAME VISIBLE DURING ITS DIVE. IT DISAPPEARED IN SECONDS BELOW MY R WING -- THIS ACFT HAS 54 FT WING SPAN). SUBSEQUENT RADIO CONTACT WITH CESSNA PLT ON T31 CTAF INDICATED HE THOUGHT WE HAD HAD AN NMAC. I DID NOT SEE THE CESSNA FOR A LONG ENOUGH PERIOD OF TIME TO ACCURATELY JUDGE OUR PROX (ALTHOUGH THE CESSNA APPEARED SMALL DURING THE BRIEF TIME I COULD SEE IT). DURING MY TURN FROM XWIND TO DOWNWIND I HEARD A RADIO POS RPT FROM A CESSNA MANEUVERING NE OF A TOWN SOME 10 MI NW OF MY DEP ARPT. I WAS SCANNING ALL SEGMENTS OF THE SKY DURING CLBOUT BUT WAS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WITH THAT NW OF MY COURSE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I EXPECTED THE MANEUVERING CESSNA TO BE (MY COURSE WAS TO THE NE). I DON'T KNOW IF THE CESSNA WAS MANEUVERING OR ON A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL COURSE FROM MY R AT THE TIME OF THIS SIT. I MADE NO EVASIVE ACTION. THE CESSNA HAD DISAPPEARED FROM MY VIEW BELOW MY R WING PASSING BEHIND ME BEFORE I COULD REACT. THE POH FOR MY ACFT DOES NOT ALLOW LNDG LIGHT USE FOR MORE THAN 10% OF THE TOTAL ENG OPERATING TIME (ELECTRICAL LOAD CONCERN). HOWEVER, I WILL USE IT FROM NOW ON WHEN WITHIN 10 MI OF ARPTS. (MY TAIL MOUNTED STROBE WAS ON.) I ALREADY SCAN FOR OTHER ACFT USING AIM RECOMMENDED FIX SKY SEGMENT METHOD. INTENSE SCANNING FOR OTHER ACFT WHEN IN CONGESTED AIRSPACE IS OBVIOUSLY A MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF VFR FLYING.

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.