Narrative:

During the return leg of a student pilot navigation solo; I was flying northwest from the town of sacaton to vpglx (gila crossing) in order to begin an approach to goodyear airport. I was at an altitude of 4500 ft MSL in order to stay below the phx class B shelf and was beginning my pre-descent checklist; keeping a lookout in between items. After reducing power and retuning the radio; I looked out again and caught sight of an aircraft at my 11 O'clock position (from toward the estrella mountains) approaching at speed. Within 3-4 seconds it had passed directly over me; with only approximately 200 ft clearance vertically. Due to the speed of the encounter and the fact that I was already in a descent; I did not deviate from my course. The aircraft was a light bizjet that appeared to be climbing out from goodyear or another nearby airport to the north. Due to the intense student pilot activity across the area; and the presence of several training schools in that part of the valley; I felt that it was unwise for a jet to pass through the area at that altitude. I cannot make assumptions about the control status of the jet but; had the aircraft been in contact with either phx approach or another radar service; greater traffic separation could have been provided given that all of the training aircraft we fly out of goodyear are equipped (and equipped) with mode C xponders. When maneuvering in the area; we are not typically in contact with any ATC service; unless flight following is requested from ZAB. This service is often unavailable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT INBOUND TO GYR HAS NMAC WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION UNKNOWN TYPE BUSINESS JET.

Narrative: DURING THE RETURN LEG OF A STUDENT PLT NAV SOLO; I WAS FLYING NW FROM THE TOWN OF SACATON TO VPGLX (GILA CROSSING) IN ORDER TO BEGIN AN APCH TO GOODYEAR ARPT. I WAS AT AN ALT OF 4500 FT MSL IN ORDER TO STAY BELOW THE PHX CLASS B SHELF AND WAS BEGINNING MY PRE-DSCNT CHKLIST; KEEPING A LOOKOUT IN BTWN ITEMS. AFTER REDUCING PWR AND RETUNING THE RADIO; I LOOKED OUT AGAIN AND CAUGHT SIGHT OF AN ACFT AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS (FROM TOWARD THE ESTRELLA MOUNTAINS) APCHING AT SPD. WITHIN 3-4 SECONDS IT HAD PASSED DIRECTLY OVER ME; WITH ONLY APPROX 200 FT CLRNC VERTLY. DUE TO THE SPD OF THE ENCOUNTER AND THE FACT THAT I WAS ALREADY IN A DSCNT; I DID NOT DEVIATE FROM MY COURSE. THE ACFT WAS A LIGHT BIZJET THAT APPEARED TO BE CLBING OUT FROM GOODYEAR OR ANOTHER NEARBY ARPT TO THE N. DUE TO THE INTENSE STUDENT PLT ACTIVITY ACROSS THE AREA; AND THE PRESENCE OF SEVERAL TRAINING SCHOOLS IN THAT PART OF THE VALLEY; I FELT THAT IT WAS UNWISE FOR A JET TO PASS THROUGH THE AREA AT THAT ALT. I CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE CTL STATUS OF THE JET BUT; HAD THE ACFT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH EITHER PHX APCH OR ANOTHER RADAR SVC; GREATER TFC SEPARATION COULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED GIVEN THAT ALL OF THE TRAINING ACFT WE FLY OUT OF GOODYEAR ARE EQUIPPED (AND EQUIPPED) WITH MODE C XPONDERS. WHEN MANEUVERING IN THE AREA; WE ARE NOT TYPICALLY IN CONTACT WITH ANY ATC SVC; UNLESS FLT FOLLOWING IS REQUESTED FROM ZAB. THIS SVC IS OFTEN UNAVAILABLE.

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.