A C172 had an near midair collision with another C172 in hazy conditions.

Attributes
ACN	795801
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jhw.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	other
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 28 flight time total : 406 flight time type : 382
ASRS Report	795801
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 5
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

In the process of returning to jamestown airport after doing maneuvers with a student; another C172 passed by us on the right at a distance of 600-400 ft horizontally. My aircraft was cruising on a westerly heading and the other aircraft was cruising on an easterly heading. The collision was nearly head-on. Evasive action was not taken because I did not notice the other aircraft until it passed on the right. The other aircraft didn't take evasive action either. Since it was a hazy day; the haze could have played a factor in sighting the aircraft. This occurred at 2000 ft AGL which is approximately 3500 ft MSL. VFR cruising altitudes did not apply since both aircraft were below 3000 ft AGL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 HAD AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER C172 IN HAZY CONDITIONS.

Narrative: IN THE PROCESS OF RETURNING TO JAMESTOWN ARPT AFTER DOING MANEUVERS WITH A STUDENT; ANOTHER C172 PASSED BY US ON THE R AT A DISTANCE OF 600-400 FT HORIZONTALLY. MY ACFT WAS CRUISING ON A WESTERLY HDG AND THE OTHER ACFT WAS CRUISING ON AN EASTERLY HDG. THE COLLISION WAS NEARLY HEAD-ON. EVASIVE ACTION WAS NOT TAKEN BECAUSE I DID NOT NOTICE THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL IT PASSED ON THE R. THE OTHER ACFT DIDN'T TAKE EVASIVE ACTION EITHER. SINCE IT WAS A HAZY DAY; THE HAZE COULD HAVE PLAYED A FACTOR IN SIGHTING THE ACFT. THIS OCCURRED AT 2000 FT AGL WHICH IS APPROX 3500 FT MSL. VFR CRUISING ALTS DID NOT APPLY SINCE BOTH ACFT WERE BELOW 3000 FT AGL.

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.