A VFR king air 90 and a comanche experienced a near midair collision in VFR conditions. A timely int...

Attributes
ACN	858151
Time
Date	200910
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.TRACON
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 17000 Flight Crew Type 5000
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 0 Vertical 400

Narrative:

I was being given flight following service by approach. I had been level at 6500 ft for a short time; and the controller was a little busy with practice approaches and other normal traffic when I heard him in a somewhat urgent tone advised of 'traffic 1 o'clock; 3 miles converging. Descend now to 6000 feet'. I quickly punched off the altitude hold and pressed the autopilot trim down to create the descent when the TCAS finally came alive with; 'traffic; traffic.' I was almost down to 6000 ft when I saw the traffic at 1 o'clock and less than 1/4 mile. It passed over at about where the center post of the windshield meets the headliner and the wet compass. It was one of those situations where you think about it later and realize some things. This one came to me somewhat quicker and I was just beginning to realize how some things had fit together when I was handed off and had to prepare for the descent and landing and had to stay ahead of the plane. With that; I neglected to thank the controller and see if it could be counted as a 'save.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A VFR King Air 90 and a Comanche experienced a NMAC in VFR conditions. A timely intervention by the flight following Approach Controller may have averted a collision.

Narrative: I was being given flight following service by Approach. I had been level at 6500 FT for a short time; and the Controller was a little busy with practice approaches and other normal traffic when I heard him in a somewhat urgent tone advised of 'traffic 1 o'clock; 3 miles converging. Descend now to 6000 feet'. I quickly punched off the altitude hold and pressed the autopilot trim down to create the descent when the TCAS finally came alive with; 'Traffic; Traffic.' I was almost down to 6000 FT when I saw the traffic at 1 o'clock and less than 1/4 mile. It passed over at about where the center post of the windshield meets the headliner and the wet compass. It was one of those situations where you think about it later and realize some things. This one came to me somewhat quicker and I was just beginning to realize how some things had fit together when I was handed off and had to prepare for the descent and landing and had to stay ahead of the plane. With that; I neglected to THANK THE CONTROLLER and see if it could be counted as a 'save.'

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.

A VFR king air 90 and a comanche experienced a near midair collision in VFR conditions. A timely intervention by the flight following approach controller may have averted a collision.