Narrative:

I was inbound VFR to ilm. At one point; I believe ilm approach indicated that he had approximately 7 aircraft inbound for landing so the frequency was fairly busy I could see a number of targets on my G1000's tis system so I was trying my best to pay attention since I knew from experience that when there are that many aircraft inbound; the controllers may have to move aircraft around often. I was descended to 2;000 ft by approach control while being sequenced for a visual approach. I then heard the controller give a jet on the frequency instructions to descend to 2;000 ft. Given that there were so many aircraft inbound; I did not immediately think of a conflict since I figured that it could have been one of the other targets further away from me that was being descended. However; I noticed a target on tis at 500 ft above me and descending that was getting closer; and then the tis system called out 'traffic! Traffic!' and the target was now 200-300 ft above me and still descending; and while it was dusk into nighttime; I could clearly see the target just above me and maybe 2;000 ft away horizontally and it was descending on top of me. The next return on tis was 100 ft above me and climbing. While all of this was going on; the controller was talking to other traffic and there was not a gap in transmissions where I felt I could jump in and point out the traffic conflict. After the 100 ft above me return on tis; the controller asked the jet target if he was at 2;000 ft and he replied that (some acronym I did not understand but presumably traffic alerting) had gone off and so no; he was not at 2;000 ft but was climbing back to 2;500 ft. The controller then gave me a heading of 360 degrees; a turn away from the airport. I feel fairly confident that I was never given any different altitude or heading instructions because from tis it appeared I was being sequenced with other traffic. However; I do not think the controller was taking into account the jet's significantly faster speed and descent rate compared to my speed or; with the frequency so busy and there being so much traffic; he may have had too much going on at the same time to be able to provide adequate separation. It also appears to me that there was too much traffic being sequenced too close together at the same time. I realize that in aircraft X I am slower traffic than most; and I much rather would have been sent farther away from the airport or told to make a 360-degree turn before being inbound to preserve adequate separation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VFR aircraft; inbound to ILM during heavy inbound push; described conflict event at 2;000 FT; suggested Controllers' spacing misjudgment as causal factor.

Narrative: I was inbound VFR to ILM. At one point; I believe ILM Approach indicated that he had approximately 7 aircraft inbound for landing so the frequency was fairly busy I could see a number of targets on my G1000's TIS system so I was trying my best to pay attention since I knew from experience that when there are that many aircraft inbound; the Controllers may have to move aircraft around often. I was descended to 2;000 FT by Approach Control while being sequenced for a visual approach. I then heard the Controller give a jet on the frequency instructions to descend to 2;000 FT. Given that there were so many aircraft inbound; I did not immediately think of a conflict since I figured that it could have been one of the other targets further away from me that was being descended. However; I noticed a target on TIS at 500 FT above me and descending that was getting closer; and then the TIS system called out 'Traffic! Traffic!' and the target was now 200-300 FT above me and still descending; and while it was dusk into nighttime; I could clearly see the target just above me and maybe 2;000 FT away horizontally and it was descending on top of me. The next return on TIS was 100 FT above me and climbing. While all of this was going on; the Controller was talking to other traffic and there was not a gap in transmissions where I felt I could jump in and point out the traffic conflict. After the 100 FT above me return on TIS; the Controller asked the jet target if he was at 2;000 FT and he replied that (some acronym I did not understand but presumably traffic alerting) had gone off and so no; he was not at 2;000 FT but was climbing back to 2;500 FT. The Controller then gave me a heading of 360 degrees; a turn away from the airport. I feel fairly confident that I was never given any different altitude or heading instructions because from TIS it appeared I was being sequenced with other traffic. However; I do not think the Controller was taking into account the jet's significantly faster speed and descent rate compared to my speed or; with the frequency so busy and there being so much traffic; he may have had too much going on at the same time to be able to provide adequate separation. It also appears to me that there was too much traffic being sequenced too close together at the same time. I realize that in Aircraft X I am slower traffic than most; and I much rather would have been sent farther away from the airport or told to make a 360-degree turn before being inbound to preserve adequate separation.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.