Narrative:

I was enroute VFR (and on a VFR flight plan) direct; at 16;500 ft; heading and ground track 185 degrees. I was receiving VFR advisories (flight following) from center. The controller called converging traffic westbound (or southwest-bound?) at 1 o'clock; same altitude. After 20-30 seconds I was unable to establish visual contact and so advised the controller. He advised traffic remained 1 o'clock and closer; with altitude now 16;600 ft; I do not recall the distance. I requested suggested direction of deviation and the controller advised deviation right of course; and I immediately turned about 60 degrees right. I continued to look intently (and only) off my right wing; dipping and raising the wing; still no visual contact. Because of report 1 o'clock location; I announced my intention to turn back to the left; toward my original heading. Half way through that turn; the traffic passed from left to right with separation as estimated above; the other aircraft was a cessna rg (at that altitude; probably a C182; 206; or 210). The aircraft was no more than 100 ft above and I passed an estimated 300 ft behind it; certainly no more than 500 ft. At that point I reported the conflict to the controller; asking him to confirm the previous 1 o'clock call; I informed him that during the conflict the other aircraft appeared at 10-11 o'clock. The controller acknowledged the error; with a statement that he had mistakenly reported my position relative to the other aircraft. This implies that the original alert should have reported traffic at 7 o'clock [11?]; not 1 o'clock. ATC apparently was not in contact with the other aircraft. However; about 10 minutes later; I overheard a request to the same controller for VFR advisories by a C182RG. Based on location and direction of flight; I suspect that was the conflict aircraft.after 18 years and nearly 3;000 flight hours; this was the nearest I have come to a mid-air collision; and it occurred in cruise flight in a very remote area at 16;500 ft. Legally; this probably was not ATC's responsibility: both aircraft were VFR in VMC; with mutual see-and avoid-responsibility. However; it is clear to me that ATC was primarily at fault at a practical level. (Based on my discussion with center personnel; they agreed that if my description of events is correct; it represents a serious lapse by the controller.) that said I share partial responsibility: 1) I accepted advice to turn right despite reported traffic ahead and to the right. That isn't completely illogical; assuming the other aircraft was sufficiently ahead. Still; it might have alerted me to confirm the advice before (or while) complying. 2) arguably it was an error on my part to reverse the avoiding turn; i.e. To turn back to the left. However; I announced that intention and received no comment from the controller. 3) most important; all pilots need to remember that all of us in aviation are human beings and make human errors. Of course we all will first look for traffic in the direction advised; in this case; 1 o'clock. But when no visual contact was made; I should have scanned all quadrants. And I should have queried the controller to confirm the location; most likely; that sort of prompt would have resulted in corrected information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A southbound C182 pilot reports a NMAC with another C182 westbound at 16;500 FT after being advised of the traffic at 1 o'clock by ATC. A right turn was suggested by ATC and complied with. The NMAC occured shortly thereafter.

Narrative: I was enroute VFR (and on a VFR flight plan) direct; at 16;500 FT; heading and ground track 185 degrees. I was receiving VFR advisories (flight following) from Center. The Controller called converging traffic westbound (or southwest-bound?) at 1 o'clock; same altitude. After 20-30 seconds I was unable to establish visual contact and so advised the Controller. He advised traffic remained 1 o'clock and closer; with altitude now 16;600 FT; I do not recall the distance. I requested suggested direction of deviation and the Controller advised deviation right of course; and I immediately turned about 60 degrees right. I continued to look intently (and only) off my right wing; dipping and raising the wing; still no visual contact. Because of report 1 o'clock location; I announced my intention to turn back to the left; toward my original heading. Half way through that turn; the traffic passed from left to right with separation as estimated above; the other aircraft was a Cessna RG (at that altitude; probably a C182; 206; or 210). The aircraft was no more than 100 FT above and I passed an estimated 300 FT behind it; certainly no more than 500 FT. At that point I reported the conflict to the Controller; asking him to confirm the previous 1 o'clock call; I informed him that during the conflict the other aircraft appeared at 10-11 o'clock. The Controller acknowledged the error; with a statement that he had mistakenly reported my position relative to the other aircraft. This implies that the original alert should have reported traffic at 7 o'clock [11?]; not 1 o'clock. ATC apparently was not in contact with the other aircraft. However; about 10 minutes later; I overheard a request to the same Controller for VFR advisories by a C182RG. Based on location and direction of flight; I suspect that was the conflict aircraft.After 18 years and nearly 3;000 flight hours; this was the nearest I have come to a mid-air collision; and it occurred in cruise flight in a very remote area at 16;500 FT. Legally; this probably was not ATC's responsibility: both aircraft were VFR in VMC; with mutual see-and avoid-responsibility. However; it is clear to me that ATC was primarily at fault at a practical level. (Based on my discussion with Center personnel; they agreed that if my description of events is correct; it represents a serious lapse by the Controller.) That said I share partial responsibility: 1) I accepted advice to turn right despite reported traffic ahead and to the right. That isn't completely illogical; assuming the other aircraft was sufficiently ahead. Still; it might have alerted me to confirm the advice before (or while) complying. 2) Arguably it was an error on my part to reverse the avoiding turn; i.e. to turn back to the left. However; I announced that intention and received no comment from the Controller. 3) Most important; all pilots need to remember that all of us in aviation are human beings and make human errors. Of course we all will first look for traffic in the direction advised; in this case; 1 o'clock. But when no visual contact was made; I should have scanned all quadrants. And I should have queried the Controller to confirm the location; most likely; that sort of prompt would have resulted in corrected information.

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.