Pilot of piper turboprop reports near midair collision at 6000 feet while on vectors for approach. Onboard traffic alert gives early warning and evasive action is taken.

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Attributes
ACN	806418
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Piper Twin Turboprop Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 675 flight time type : 105
ASRS Report	806418
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was being vectored apparently due to traffic. Approach had me heading 340 degrees over lake after coming in from the east. The controller then told me to turn back to a heading of 220 degrees and contact approach on another frequency. I started my turn back and switched to new frequency when traffic appeared on my mfd. It was at the exact same altitude and I was heading right for it. I could not see it visually. My traffic warning was going off and I instituted a diving left turn as the mfd had an up arrow for this plane. As it went by the mfd showed it 300 ft above me. It was to my right about 200-300 ft. I contacted the new controller and told him I had just had to take evasive action. He asked me if the previous controller told me about the plane and I told him no. He asked me if I got an RA and I told him yes; thinking he meant a TA (traffic alert). As I don't have the RA capability on my plane (and didn't know what it was at the time). I'm sure the tapes will confirm all this. I re-established assigned altitude and heading. He then gave me a new vector towards ZZZ and eventually handed me off to ZZZ.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILOT OF PIPER TURBOPROP REPORTS NMAC AT 6000 FEET WHILE ON VECTORS FOR APPROACH. ONBOARD TRAFFIC ALERT GIVES EARLY WARNING AND EVASIVE ACTION IS TAKEN.

Narrative: I WAS BEING VECTORED APPARENTLY DUE TO TFC. APCH HAD ME HDG 340 DEGS OVER LAKE AFTER COMING IN FROM THE E. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ME TO TURN BACK TO A HDG OF 220 DEGS AND CONTACT APCH ON ANOTHER FREQ. I STARTED MY TURN BACK AND SWITCHED TO NEW FREQ WHEN TFC APPEARED ON MY MFD. IT WAS AT THE EXACT SAME ALT AND I WAS HEADING RIGHT FOR IT. I COULD NOT SEE IT VISUALLY. MY TFC WARNING WAS GOING OFF AND I INSTITUTED A DIVING L TURN AS THE MFD HAD AN UP ARROW FOR THIS PLANE. AS IT WENT BY THE MFD SHOWED IT 300 FT ABOVE ME. IT WAS TO MY R ABOUT 200-300 FT. I CONTACTED THE NEW CTLR AND TOLD HIM I HAD JUST HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. HE ASKED ME IF THE PREVIOUS CTLR TOLD ME ABOUT THE PLANE AND I TOLD HIM NO. HE ASKED ME IF I GOT AN RA AND I TOLD HIM YES; THINKING HE MEANT A TA (TFC ALERT). AS I DON'T HAVE THE RA CAPABILITY ON MY PLANE (AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT THE TIME). I'M SURE THE TAPES WILL CONFIRM ALL THIS. I RE-ESTABLISHED ASSIGNED ALT AND HDG. HE THEN GAVE ME A NEW VECTOR TOWARDS ZZZ AND EVENTUALLY HANDED ME OFF TO ZZZ.

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.