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PA46 on sightseeing VFR flight has to make evasive maneuver to avoid slower moving C182 at same altitude and course.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 592493 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 005.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-46 Malibu |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 592493 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were touring a local lake at 1000 ft above the shoreline. We spotted a C182 or C172 doing the same thing about 2 mi ahead. We eventually caught up to him and proceeded to pass him on his left side. At the time that we were approximately 2000 ft behind him and 2000 ft lateral from him, he started a left turn towards our flight path. I descended to approximately 200 ft above the water and 1000 ft offshore and passed approximately 500 ft underneath the C182/C172 continuing parallel to the shore. I was not comfortable flying that close to water and boaters and immediately after passing under the C182 and looking to remain clear of him, started a climb back up to 1200 ft and proceeded to chester airport for landing. During the sightseeing, I had not kept close track of my fast closure on the C182 (100 KTS) versus 160 KTS while talking to my passenger and therefore didn't have time to be more cautious. Being a faster airplane closing on a slower airplane, plus sightseeing, almost resulted in a midair collision. What initially looks far away can quickly become an issue if you don't constantly keep your traffic in your sights. Looking back on the incident, I think that as soon as I discovered the C182 was at my same altitude (1000 ft) I should have made at least a 500 ft buffer above his altitude to conduct my tour and remain at least 1/2 mi from traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA46 ON SIGHTSEEING VFR FLT HAS TO MAKE EVASIVE MANEUVER TO AVOID SLOWER MOVING C182 AT SAME ALT AND COURSE.
Narrative: WE WERE TOURING A LCL LAKE AT 1000 FT ABOVE THE SHORELINE. WE SPOTTED A C182 OR C172 DOING THE SAME THING ABOUT 2 MI AHEAD. WE EVENTUALLY CAUGHT UP TO HIM AND PROCEEDED TO PASS HIM ON HIS L SIDE. AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE APPROX 2000 FT BEHIND HIM AND 2000 FT LATERAL FROM HIM, HE STARTED A L TURN TOWARDS OUR FLT PATH. I DSNDED TO APPROX 200 FT ABOVE THE WATER AND 1000 FT OFFSHORE AND PASSED APPROX 500 FT UNDERNEATH THE C182/C172 CONTINUING PARALLEL TO THE SHORE. I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE FLYING THAT CLOSE TO WATER AND BOATERS AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER PASSING UNDER THE C182 AND LOOKING TO REMAIN CLR OF HIM, STARTED A CLB BACK UP TO 1200 FT AND PROCEEDED TO CHESTER ARPT FOR LNDG. DURING THE SIGHTSEEING, I HAD NOT KEPT CLOSE TRACK OF MY FAST CLOSURE ON THE C182 (100 KTS) VERSUS 160 KTS WHILE TALKING TO MY PAX AND THEREFORE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO BE MORE CAUTIOUS. BEING A FASTER AIRPLANE CLOSING ON A SLOWER AIRPLANE, PLUS SIGHTSEEING, ALMOST RESULTED IN A MIDAIR COLLISION. WHAT INITIALLY LOOKS FAR AWAY CAN QUICKLY BECOME AN ISSUE IF YOU DON'T CONSTANTLY KEEP YOUR TFC IN YOUR SIGHTS. LOOKING BACK ON THE INCIDENT, I THINK THAT AS SOON AS I DISCOVERED THE C182 WAS AT MY SAME ALT (1000 FT) I SHOULD HAVE MADE AT LEAST A 500 FT BUFFER ABOVE HIS ALT TO CONDUCT MY TOUR AND REMAIN AT LEAST 1/2 MI FROM TFC.
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.