Near midair collision with small aircraft opposite direction.

Attributes
ACN	88116
Time
Date	198805
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea airport : wn71
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	88116
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 150 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While flying alone on a southerly heading at cruise, I encountered an small aircraft flying northerly at the same altitude. I first saw him at about 500'. I took evasive action by pushing the nose down abruptly. He passed within 150' horizontal and 50' above me. I assume he did not see me since there was no evidence of any deviation from his flight path. Contributing factor: his head on profile and the sun reduced my ability to see him sooner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC WITH SMA OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING ALONE ON A SOUTHERLY HDG AT CRUISE, I ENCOUNTERED AN SMA FLYING NORTHERLY AT THE SAME ALT. I FIRST SAW HIM AT ABOUT 500'. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY PUSHING THE NOSE DOWN ABRUPTLY. HE PASSED WITHIN 150' HORIZ AND 50' ABOVE ME. I ASSUME HE DID NOT SEE ME SINCE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY DEVIATION FROM HIS FLT PATH. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: HIS HEAD ON PROFILE AND THE SUN REDUCED MY ABILITY TO SEE HIM SOONER.

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.