Narrative:

At XA00 on jun/wed/04, I called sgf approach control about 15 mi southeast of sgf, declared my intention to transit their eastern airspace en route to M17, level at 2500 ft. I received a transponder code, was radar idented just outside the outer class C ring, and was instructed to climb to 3500 ft. No potential traffic conflict was called to me and no other aircraft were talked to by approach from the time I called on frequency. While looking for random traffic and approximately 1 mi inside the outer ring climbing through 3400 ft, a traffic patrol aircraft appeared directly ahead, opposite direction, and already beginning a hard right turn for avoidance. I estimated our separation at 400-500 ft. After the evasive maneuver, approach control called the traffic to us both, with no sense of urgency betrayed in her voice. The remainder of the flight was, thankfully, less adrenaline packed. What will I do differently? 1) inside class C (or class D or class B) -- all lights on, regardless of destination or time of day. 2) level off every 500 ft during VFR climb in a potentially high traffic density area, every 1000 ft in low density areas. 3) recognize that when VFR in controled airspace, we are given instructions but are not really 'controled.' ATC does not accept responsibility for VFR traffic separation, even if their instructions put you face-on with conflicting traffic which they are also 'controling.' challenge any instruction that creates the least discomfiture, and see and avoid, see and avoid, see and avoid.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE FLYING IN SGF CLASS C AIRSPACE AND INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 35O0 FT, PLT OF C337 ENCOUNTERS C152 OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND SAME ALT.

Narrative: AT XA00 ON JUN/WED/04, I CALLED SGF APCH CTL ABOUT 15 MI SE OF SGF, DECLARED MY INTENTION TO TRANSIT THEIR EASTERN AIRSPACE ENRTE TO M17, LEVEL AT 2500 FT. I RECEIVED A XPONDER CODE, WAS RADAR IDENTED JUST OUTSIDE THE OUTER CLASS C RING, AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 3500 FT. NO POTENTIAL TFC CONFLICT WAS CALLED TO ME AND NO OTHER ACFT WERE TALKED TO BY APCH FROM THE TIME I CALLED ON FREQ. WHILE LOOKING FOR RANDOM TFC AND APPROX 1 MI INSIDE THE OUTER RING CLBING THROUGH 3400 FT, A TFC PATROL ACFT APPEARED DIRECTLY AHEAD, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND ALREADY BEGINNING A HARD R TURN FOR AVOIDANCE. I ESTIMATED OUR SEPARATION AT 400-500 FT. AFTER THE EVASIVE MANEUVER, APCH CTL CALLED THE TFC TO US BOTH, WITH NO SENSE OF URGENCY BETRAYED IN HER VOICE. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS, THANKFULLY, LESS ADRENALINE PACKED. WHAT WILL I DO DIFFERENTLY? 1) INSIDE CLASS C (OR CLASS D OR CLASS B) -- ALL LIGHTS ON, REGARDLESS OF DEST OR TIME OF DAY. 2) LEVEL OFF EVERY 500 FT DURING VFR CLB IN A POTENTIALLY HIGH TFC DENSITY AREA, EVERY 1000 FT IN LOW DENSITY AREAS. 3) RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN VFR IN CTLED AIRSPACE, WE ARE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BUT ARE NOT REALLY 'CTLED.' ATC DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR VFR TFC SEPARATION, EVEN IF THEIR INSTRUCTIONS PUT YOU FACE-ON WITH CONFLICTING TFC WHICH THEY ARE ALSO 'CTLING.' CHALLENGE ANY INSTRUCTION THAT CREATES THE LEAST DISCOMFITURE, AND SEE AND AVOID, SEE AND AVOID, SEE AND AVOID.

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.