CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG GA-SMA 12 NM SOUTH OF ISP.

Narrative

I WAS FLYING W (ACFT A) DSNDING ABOUT 300 FPM FROM 4500'. I WAS ABOUT 2 MI S OF THE FIRE ISLAND SHORELINE AND ABOUT 12 MI SE OF LONG ISLAND MAC ARTHUR ARPT WHEN OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE I SAW AN ACFT B APCHING FROM MY LEFT TO RIGHT. HE WAS ON A 12 MI FINAL TO RWY 33L AT LONG ISLAND ARPT. I MADE A SHARP LEFT 180 DEGS TO AVOID THE ACFT. I ESTIMATE WE CAME WITHIN 500' HORIZ; 0' VERT; AT AN ALT OF 4000'. I THEN TUNED MY RADIO TO NY APCH WHERE I HEARD THE PLT ASKING THE CTLR WHY THE ACFT WAS NOT POINTED OUT TO HIM; AND THAT UPON LNDG HE WAS GOING TO FILE A RPT. LONG ISLAND MAC ARTHUR ARPT WAS RPTING I BELIEVE 3500' SCATTERED; 8000' SCATTERED; VIS 15 MI. I DO NOT RECALL ANY CLOUDS ENRTE. BUT; I DO RECALL A HAZY CONDITION OUT OVER THE WATER TO THE S WHERE FLT VIS WAS LESS THAN 15 MI FOR SURE. I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT CAUSED IT. HERE IS WHAT I BELIEVED CAUSED THIS INCIDENT: 1) GOOD WX--THIS CAUSES A PLT TO RELAX HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE AND AVOID TFC. 2) THE GOD WX COMBINED WITH THE AIRLINER BEING IN RADAR CONTACT GAVE THE CREW AN EXTRA FEELING OF RELAXATION RE: THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO SEE AND AVOID; EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE OUTSIDE THE ARSA. 3) SEE AND AVOID IS NOT STRESSED ENOUGH DURING PRIMARY STUDENT TRNING. IN HINDSIGHT I CAN SEE IT WAS NOT STRESSED ENOUGH IN MY TRNING. 4) MY ACFT WAS NOT MODE C EQUIPMENT; BUT MY TRANSPONDER WAS ON. I DO NOT KNOW IF MODE C WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE EITHER THE CTLR BLOCKED ALL 1200 SQUAWKS OUTSIDE THE ARSA OR HE WAS SO BUSY HE JUST MISSED THE CONFLICT; AND THEREFORE DIDN'T GIVE THE AIRLINER THE TFC ADVISORY.