NMAC.

Narrative

ON SEP/SAT/91 AT XA05 A.M.; I WAS FLYING VFR AT 2500 MSL (APPROX 2000 FT AGL) FROM GREAT BEMINTON (GBR) TO FISHERS ISLAND; NY (0B8). NAV WAS LORAN DIRECT AND I HAD JUST PASSED ABOUT 3 MI NE OF THE HARTFORD VORTAC (HFD). I WAS ON FLT FOLLOWING WITH BRADLEY APCH (BDL) FREQ 125.8 SQUAWKING 5250. BRADLEY APCH WAS FAIRLY BUSY BUT HAD ALERTED ME TO OTHER TFC. BRADLEY APCH HAD JUST ASKED ME TO CHANGE TO A NEW SECTOR FREQ (I BELIEVE IT WAS 111.05). MY HDG WAS ABOUT 150 DEG. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO DIAL IN THE NEW FREQ WHEN I NOTICED A WHITE TWIN (SMT CLASS) NO MORE THAN 1/3-1/2 MI AWAY COMING STRAIGHT AT ME WITH A HDG OF ABOUT 270 DEG AT MY EXACT ALT. I TOOK IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION TURNING SHARPLY TO THE R. THE PLANE PASSED APPROX 150 FT BEHIND ME TAKING NO EVASIVE ACTION. I COULD NOT GET N NUMBER. I CALLED BRADLEY ON THE CURRENT FREQ (125.8) AND ASKED IF THEY HAD SEEN ANYTHING. THE CTLR SAID 'NO'. I THEN SWITCHED OVER TO THE NEW SECTOR AND ASKED IF THEY HAD SEEN ANYTHING. AGAIN; 'NO'. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THAT WAS A LARGE TARGET WELL WITHIN RADAR COVERAGE -- AT LEAST A PRIMARY ECHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN VISIBLE EVEN IF THE PLT DID NOT HAVE TRANSPONDER ON. I THINK THE CTLRS DID NOT WANT TO ADMIT THEIR FAILURE TO NOTICE A NMAC. THEY HAD CALLED NO TFC AT THE TIME. LESSON: 1) ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN; EVEN ON FLT FOLLOWING. 2) ESPECIALLY WATCH AT SECTOR CORNERS. 3) SOME PLTS MAY BE FLYING ILLEGALLY WITH TRANSPONDER OFF. 4) I AM FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE CTLRS.