Potential conflict while deviating WX on a VFR flight plan.

Attributes
ACN	91135
Time
Date	198807
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hrs
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8800 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 46 flight time total : 840 flight time type : 383
ASRS Report	91135
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing to 11500' chattanooga approach had me hold at 10000' to arrange a handoff to ZTL. I was cleared to 11500' and handed off to center. When 84 NM from destination (salem, sc), after having received a clearance to descend to destination maintaining VFR, descending through 8800' got a glance of a light twin passing above and off to the right. My heading was approximately 90 degrees. Estimate the other aircraft to be level at 9000', heading 290 degrees. I was circumnaving clouds and the heading might not have been exactly 90 degrees. There is a possibility the other aircraft could have been on V54 inbound to hours. I asked center if they had seen the traffic near me and they hesitated to answer me. The controller said she didn't know my altitude and did not report the traffic after I complained of no traffic warning. She could have asked me my altitude at any time. I complained again and another controller came on frequency to discuss it. He said the new radar was not as good as the old and could not keep up with my circumnav. I had not done that much maneuvering. He must have been her supervisor. The other pilot apparently saw me first and appeared to be taking evasive action, otherwise we would have passed within 200' vertical with me directly below. Center could have avoided all this by announcing traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT WHILE DEVIATING WX ON A VFR FLT PLAN.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO 11500' CHATTANOOGA APCH HAD ME HOLD AT 10000' TO ARRANGE A HDOF TO ZTL. I WAS CLRED TO 11500' AND HANDED OFF TO CENTER. WHEN 84 NM FROM DEST (SALEM, SC), AFTER HAVING RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO DEST MAINTAINING VFR, DSNDING THROUGH 8800' GOT A GLANCE OF A LIGHT TWIN PASSING ABOVE AND OFF TO THE RIGHT. MY HDG WAS APPROX 90 DEGS. ESTIMATE THE OTHER ACFT TO BE LEVEL AT 9000', HDG 290 DEGS. I WAS CIRCUMNAVING CLOUDS AND THE HDG MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN EXACTLY 90 DEGS. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THE OTHER ACFT COULD HAVE BEEN ON V54 INBND TO HRS. I ASKED CENTER IF THEY HAD SEEN THE TFC NEAR ME AND THEY HESITATED TO ANSWER ME. THE CTLR SAID SHE DIDN'T KNOW MY ALT AND DID NOT RPT THE TFC AFTER I COMPLAINED OF NO TFC WARNING. SHE COULD HAVE ASKED ME MY ALT AT ANY TIME. I COMPLAINED AGAIN AND ANOTHER CTLR CAME ON FREQ TO DISCUSS IT. HE SAID THE NEW RADAR WAS NOT AS GOOD AS THE OLD AND COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH MY CIRCUMNAV. I HAD NOT DONE THAT MUCH MANEUVERING. HE MUST HAVE BEEN HER SUPVR. THE OTHER PLT APPARENTLY SAW ME FIRST AND APPEARED TO BE TAKING EVASIVE ACTION, OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE PASSED WITHIN 200' VERT WITH ME DIRECTLY BELOW. CENTER COULD HAVE AVOIDED ALL THIS BY ANNOUNCING TFC.

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.