Narrative:

While sebnd from hayward to panoche VOR at 7500' operating under voluntary ATC flight following, the oak center controller called 'traffic alert, 9 O'clock, 8300 descending, 5 mi.' while I have never been given a 'traffic alert,' I knew that it was more imperative than just calling observed traffic. Moments later ATC called again with 9 O'clock traffic, 3 mi, descending. I radioed that I had visual contact with the traffic. The approaching aircraft grew larger as it approached, but it maintained its relative position to my plane. It was clear that the approaching small aircraft was on a direct collision course with my plane. As the small aircraft approached to within 1/2-1/3 mi, it became clear that the pilot did not see me even though it was at his low 12 O'clock position. My plane should have been clearly visible to him, even though I was looking into the general direction of the sun. I pushed the controls forward and dove to 7000'. The small aircraft passed directly overhead west/O veering away as if to avoid my plane. I was so gratified that ATC had accepted me for flight following on this occasion and had given the traffic alert. I feel certain that a midair collision would have occurred. My greatest regret is that I did not call back to ATC and thank him for the traffic call. If it is at all possible, please forward this message to oak center: many thanks--you saved our lives. This is not my first near midair collision with an small aircraft. I have found that small aircraft pilots are often unable to see other traffic, and therefore should be given plenty of avoidance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWO SMA'S HAVE NMAC.

Narrative: WHILE SEBND FROM HAYWARD TO PANOCHE VOR AT 7500' OPERATING UNDER VOLUNTARY ATC FLT FOLLOWING, THE OAK CENTER CTLR CALLED 'TFC ALERT, 9 O'CLOCK, 8300 DSNDING, 5 MI.' WHILE I HAVE NEVER BEEN GIVEN A 'TFC ALERT,' I KNEW THAT IT WAS MORE IMPERATIVE THAN JUST CALLING OBSERVED TFC. MOMENTS LATER ATC CALLED AGAIN WITH 9 O'CLOCK TFC, 3 MI, DSNDING. I RADIOED THAT I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TFC. THE APCHING ACFT GREW LARGER AS IT APCHED, BUT IT MAINTAINED ITS RELATIVE POS TO MY PLANE. IT WAS CLR THAT THE APCHING SMA WAS ON A DIRECT COLLISION COURSE WITH MY PLANE. AS THE SMA APCHED TO WITHIN 1/2-1/3 MI, IT BECAME CLR THAT THE PLT DID NOT SEE ME EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AT HIS LOW 12 O'CLOCK POS. MY PLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLEARLY VISIBLE TO HIM, EVEN THOUGH I WAS LOOKING INTO THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE SUN. I PUSHED THE CTLS FORWARD AND DOVE TO 7000'. THE SMA PASSED DIRECTLY OVERHEAD W/O VEERING AWAY AS IF TO AVOID MY PLANE. I WAS SO GRATIFIED THAT ATC HAD ACCEPTED ME FOR FLT FOLLOWING ON THIS OCCASION AND HAD GIVEN THE TFC ALERT. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT A MIDAIR COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. MY GREATEST REGRET IS THAT I DID NOT CALL BACK TO ATC AND THANK HIM FOR THE TFC CALL. IF IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE, PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO OAK CENTER: MANY THANKS--YOU SAVED OUR LIVES. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST NMAC WITH AN SMA. I HAVE FOUND THAT SMA PLTS ARE OFTEN UNABLE TO SEE OTHER TFC, AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE GIVEN PLENTY OF AVOIDANCE.

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.