Narrative:

Was inbound for a landing (base entry) at pao. At 2200 ft, tower advised that I had 12 O'clock position northbound traffic, 3 mi at 1800 ft and climbing. I increased descent rate from 500 FPM to approximately 1000 FPM and advised that I was accelerating my descent rate. At approximately 1800 ft, I saw the other aircraft less than 500 ft ahead and slightly below. I sharply pulled up. The other aircraft (single engine, probably 4 seats) passed directly below me at less than 50 ft. Palo alto tower called with an updated position report a few seconds after the plane had passed. I acknowledged contact. A min later, I notified pao tower of the near miss. On the ground, I asked pao tower what the call to me was. They indicated it was 3 mi, 1800 ft. I was so shook up that I indicated that I thought I had heard 2200 ft. This was incorrect and this was the altitude I was at the time of the call. Time from first call to event was less than 45 seconds! What could have been done better: 1) I should not have descended into the other aircraft. I assumed they would continue climbing and they did not, 2) I should have asked for a vector rather than trying to look for the aircraft, 3) tower should have responded that my descent was a potential conflict and that the other aircraft had stopped its climb, 4) tower should have offered a vector to avoid conflict, 5) the nose of the PA32 may have been blocking my visibility of the other aircraft, an s-turn may have helped, and 6) my inbound path was a standard entry to pao. The other aircraft should not have been in this space going northbound.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT HAS NMAC DURING APCH TO PAO.

Narrative: WAS INBOUND FOR A LNDG (BASE ENTRY) AT PAO. AT 2200 FT, TWR ADVISED THAT I HAD 12 O'CLOCK POS NBOUND TFC, 3 MI AT 1800 FT AND CLBING. I INCREASED DSCNT RATE FROM 500 FPM TO APPROX 1000 FPM AND ADVISED THAT I WAS ACCELERATING MY DSCNT RATE. AT APPROX 1800 FT, I SAW THE OTHER ACFT LESS THAN 500 FT AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY BELOW. I SHARPLY PULLED UP. THE OTHER ACFT (SINGLE ENG, PROBABLY 4 SEATS) PASSED DIRECTLY BELOW ME AT LESS THAN 50 FT. PALO ALTO TWR CALLED WITH AN UPDATED POS RPT A FEW SECONDS AFTER THE PLANE HAD PASSED. I ACKNOWLEDGED CONTACT. A MIN LATER, I NOTIFIED PAO TWR OF THE NEAR MISS. ON THE GND, I ASKED PAO TWR WHAT THE CALL TO ME WAS. THEY INDICATED IT WAS 3 MI, 1800 FT. I WAS SO SHOOK UP THAT I INDICATED THAT I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD 2200 FT. THIS WAS INCORRECT AND THIS WAS THE ALT I WAS AT THE TIME OF THE CALL. TIME FROM FIRST CALL TO EVENT WAS LESS THAN 45 SECONDS! WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER: 1) I SHOULD NOT HAVE DSNDED INTO THE OTHER ACFT. I ASSUMED THEY WOULD CONTINUE CLBING AND THEY DID NOT, 2) I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR A VECTOR RATHER THAN TRYING TO LOOK FOR THE ACFT, 3) TWR SHOULD HAVE RESPONDED THAT MY DSCNT WAS A POTENTIAL CONFLICT AND THAT THE OTHER ACFT HAD STOPPED ITS CLB, 4) TWR SHOULD HAVE OFFERED A VECTOR TO AVOID CONFLICT, 5) THE NOSE OF THE PA32 MAY HAVE BEEN BLOCKING MY VISIBILITY OF THE OTHER ACFT, AN S-TURN MAY HAVE HELPED, AND 6) MY INBOUND PATH WAS A STANDARD ENTRY TO PAO. THE OTHER ACFT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THIS SPACE GOING NBOUND.

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.