PLT OF SMA CLBED TO 5000 MSL TO OVERFLY ACY ARSA AND ENCOUNTERED AN MLT ON IFR PLAN AT 5000.

Narrative

ACFT A WAS HEADED SBOUND FOR SEA ISLE VOR AT 3500 FT MSL. TRIED TO TRANSITION ATLANTIC CITY ARSA; COULDN'T GET A BREAK IN APCH FREQ SO DECIDED TO CLB ABOVE ARSA ENRTE SEA ISLE. APPROX 15 MI NE OF CEDAR LAKE VOR AND 10 MI NW OF ATLANTIC CITY ARPT; ACFT A LEVELED OFF AFTER CLB AT 5000 FT MSL. PIC OF A WAS RECHKING HIS POS WHEN HE NOTICED ACFT B IN HIS 11 O'CLOCK POS AT THE SAME ALT AND CLOSING QUICKLY. PLT A TRIED TO RECOGNIZE THE FLT PATH OF ACFT B AND STARTED TO MAKE 5 DEG HDG CHANGE TO THE L (E) TO AVOID APCHING ACFT B SINCE B SEEMED TO BE MOVING FROM L TO R. WITH B RAPIDLY APCHING; MORE AND GREATER HDG CORRECTIONS TO E (L) WERE MADE TO AVOID A COLLISION. AFTER REALIZING GREATER CORRECTION WOULD BE NEEDED AND BOTH ACFT BEING WITHIN A 'CONSIDERABLY CLOSE DISTANCE' OF EACH OTHER PLT A BANKED 30 DEG TO THE L (E) AND PITCHED THE ACFT NOSE DOWN TO SAFELY AVOID REMAINING 'IN OR DANGEROUSLY CLOSE' TO THE FLT PATH OF ACFT B. THE PLT OF ACFT A WITNESSED ACFT B ALTER HIS COURSE TO THE L (20-30 W) TO ALSO AVOID APCHING ACFT A. BOTH ACFT MISSED EACH OTHER BY APPROX 50 FT VERTICALLY AND 100 FT HORIZLY. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: PLT A WILL FLY AT VFR CRUISING ALTS WHILE ENRTE AFTER LEVELING OR AFTER CLB. WILL TALK TO APCH FACILITIES FOR VFR ADVISORIES AND TA'S. REMAIN CONTINUALLY ALERT WHILE FLYING AT HIGHER ALTS WHILE VFR IN ALERT ZONES. TRY TO RECOGNIZE AND REACT QUICKER.