Potential conflict airborne between 2 opposite direction GA-small aircraft's.

Attributes
ACN	83760
Time
Date	198803
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etx
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : har tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	83760
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flying level at 8000' on V30 wbound on IFR clearance. Was IMC and had informed harrisburg approach control. Broke out, single engine small aircraft ahead at 1 O'clock position 1500' ahead, approximately 100' above on collision course. Aircraft made immediate ascending right turn. I descended to the right. I then asked controller about the aircraft I nearly collided with. The silence was deafening. After a short period, the controller informed me that the aircraft was squawking 1200 showing 8100' unverified mode C. Comment: clearly the use of mode C transponder by the VFR traffic was of no value in getting me the traffic data I should have had. He was obviously skimming along the clouds, probably just within the legal limits for operations VFR around clouds. The system as it stands is flawed in this respect. Popping out from IMC to VFR requires an immediate transition, and the diligence of knowing someone may be lurking out there. ATC was useless. Next time if it's VFR above and below the deck, I'll fly VFR on top. Better safe than sorry.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT AIRBORNE BETWEEN 2 OPPOSITE DIRECTION GA-SMA'S.

Narrative: FLYING LEVEL AT 8000' ON V30 WBOUND ON IFR CLRNC. WAS IMC AND HAD INFORMED HARRISBURG APCH CTL. BROKE OUT, SINGLE ENG SMA AHEAD AT 1 O'CLOCK POS 1500' AHEAD, APPROX 100' ABOVE ON COLLISION COURSE. ACFT MADE IMMEDIATE ASCENDING RIGHT TURN. I DSNDED TO THE RIGHT. I THEN ASKED CTLR ABOUT THE ACFT I NEARLY COLLIDED WITH. THE SILENCE WAS DEAFENING. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT THE ACFT WAS SQUAWKING 1200 SHOWING 8100' UNVERIFIED MODE C. COMMENT: CLEARLY THE USE OF MODE C TRANSPONDER BY THE VFR TFC WAS OF NO VALUE IN GETTING ME THE TFC DATA I SHOULD HAVE HAD. HE WAS OBVIOUSLY SKIMMING ALONG THE CLOUDS, PROBABLY JUST WITHIN THE LEGAL LIMITS FOR OPS VFR AROUND CLOUDS. THE SYS AS IT STANDS IS FLAWED IN THIS RESPECT. POPPING OUT FROM IMC TO VFR REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE TRANSITION, AND THE DILIGENCE OF KNOWING SOMEONE MAY BE LURKING OUT THERE. ATC WAS USELESS. NEXT TIME IF IT'S VFR ABOVE AND BELOW THE DECK, I'LL FLY VFR ON TOP. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.