Narrative:

The airport ASOS was reporting 3200 ft broken; visibility 10 mi. I monitored ZOA to ensure nobody was inbound as I departed to the east. The clouds appeared to be breaking up with large areas of blue sky showing. I initiated a climb approximately 8 mi east of the airport hoping to get on top and find a smoother ride. As I navigation'ed around the cumulus clouds to maintain VFR; I noted a contact on the tcad at approximately 3.4 mi. I continued to climb. I also heard center advise the aircraft to join the arc. As it did; center informed the light twin of a contact 12 O'clock position at my altitude. I soon realized I was the aircraft they were looking for. I maintained climb and heading to get out of the way as soon as possible. Center gave the other aircraft a vector to avoid any conflict. We came within 1.2 mi and 200 ft of one another. My concern is that I never saw the other aircraft and he had to be vectored from his approach to avoid me. Although I was VFR; climbing up through an open area can be hazardous if you are near an airway; or in this case an approach arc. In the future; I will use flight advisories for any such maneuver.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MANEUVERING AROUND CLOUDS TO REMAIN IN VMC; PLT OF C206 ENCOUNTERS ANOTHER ACFT BEING VECTORED TO THE ARC FOR AN IAP.

Narrative: THE ARPT ASOS WAS RPTING 3200 FT BROKEN; VISIBILITY 10 MI. I MONITORED ZOA TO ENSURE NOBODY WAS INBOUND AS I DEPARTED TO THE E. THE CLOUDS APPEARED TO BE BREAKING UP WITH LARGE AREAS OF BLUE SKY SHOWING. I INITIATED A CLB APPROX 8 MI E OF THE ARPT HOPING TO GET ON TOP AND FIND A SMOOTHER RIDE. AS I NAV'ED AROUND THE CUMULUS CLOUDS TO MAINTAIN VFR; I NOTED A CONTACT ON THE TCAD AT APPROX 3.4 MI. I CONTINUED TO CLB. I ALSO HEARD CTR ADVISE THE ACFT TO JOIN THE ARC. AS IT DID; CTR INFORMED THE LIGHT TWIN OF A CONTACT 12 O'CLOCK POS AT MY ALT. I SOON REALIZED I WAS THE ACFT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. I MAINTAINED CLB AND HDG TO GET OUT OF THE WAY ASAP. CTR GAVE THE OTHER ACFT A VECTOR TO AVOID ANY CONFLICT. WE CAME WITHIN 1.2 MI AND 200 FT OF ONE ANOTHER. MY CONCERN IS THAT I NEVER SAW THE OTHER ACFT AND HE HAD TO BE VECTORED FROM HIS APCH TO AVOID ME. ALTHOUGH I WAS VFR; CLBING UP THROUGH AN OPEN AREA CAN BE HAZARDOUS IF YOU ARE NEAR AN AIRWAY; OR IN THIS CASE AN APCH ARC. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL USE FLT ADVISORIES FOR ANY SUCH MANEUVER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.