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A pilot passenger reports an near midair collision with another aircraft at 2500 ft approaching class B as TRACON was being contacted for flight advisories.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 761676 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200711 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument |
| ASRS Report | 761676 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 50 vertical : 30 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While the pilot was in the process of contacting approach for our planned approach to ZZZ; the PNF scanned for traffic. As my scan was directed to a 2:30 O'clock position; I caught sight of an aircraft approximately 30-50 ft below us at a 90 degree angle to our direction of flight (it was traveling from 3 O'clock position to 9 O'clock position). At first sight it was no more than 75-100 ft away; its left wing already obscured by our right wing. I believe that 'see and avoid' is flawed in that 'see' factor is not always possible. In the time it takes to scan the entire field of vision; a closing aircraft could get you from the other side. We could have and should have asked for flight following prior to getting near busy airspace. A shortcoming of flight following is that when you need it most (busy airspace) is the time when you are least likely to get it because of controller workload.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PILOT PASSENGER RPTS AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER ACFT AT 2500 FT APCHING CLASS B AS TRACON WAS BEING CONTACTED FOR FLT ADVISORIES.
Narrative: WHILE THE PLT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING APCH FOR OUR PLANNED APCH TO ZZZ; THE PNF SCANNED FOR TFC. AS MY SCAN WAS DIRECTED TO A 2:30 O'CLOCK POS; I CAUGHT SIGHT OF AN ACFT APPROX 30-50 FT BELOW US AT A 90 DEG ANGLE TO OUR DIRECTION OF FLT (IT WAS TRAVELING FROM 3 O'CLOCK POS TO 9 O'CLOCK POS). AT FIRST SIGHT IT WAS NO MORE THAN 75-100 FT AWAY; ITS L WING ALREADY OBSCURED BY OUR R WING. I BELIEVE THAT 'SEE AND AVOID' IS FLAWED IN THAT 'SEE' FACTOR IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE. IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO SCAN THE ENTIRE FIELD OF VISION; A CLOSING ACFT COULD GET YOU FROM THE OTHER SIDE. WE COULD HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING PRIOR TO GETTING NEAR BUSY AIRSPACE. A SHORTCOMING OF FLT FOLLOWING IS THAT WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST (BUSY AIRSPACE) IS THE TIME WHEN YOU ARE LEAST LIKELY TO GET IT BECAUSE OF CTLR WORKLOAD.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.