Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 135; Flight Crew Type 60
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure; Airspace Structure
Beautiful; clear night. Shooting some night VFR practice approaches with a safety pilot. Headed into an uncontrolled field on an RNAV and making call outs on CTAF. Leveled off between the IAF and the FAF. My safety pilot spotted traffic out the right window. We looked at iPads for ADS-B and see traffic 2NM out at my 2:00 on a perpendicular heading; track vectors converging; and '+0' for the altitude. After 30 seconds or so with no change; we are less than 1.5NM apart and closing; and decide I need to climb immediately.I get above him; and lose visual as he starts to cross under us. I glanced at ADS-B to confirm he's crossed and I can come down and finish the approach; but iPad shows he turned to match my heading; and we're stacked directly on top of each other on the EXACT same heading. 500 feet vertical separation; but 0 horizontally. At this point I've gave up on the approach; slowed down a bunch; and am pulled up a VFR sectional to make sure I wasn't going to encounter terrain. I did a 360 for spacing then continued to the FAF. I am frustrated that he was not on CTAF. Then immediately it hits me. He's actually IFR and is talking to Approach. Already have the plate up; so I switched over to Approach and call 'Atlanta Approach Aircraft X is VFR practicing the RNAV ...; do you have someone IFR on that approach?' Immediately; before ATC can respond; the other pilot radios 'Yeah; are you right behind me!?'On the ground; the other pilot and I had a friendly chat and connected over how great ADS-B is. I asked him if ATC had called me out to him before I got on the frequency; and he said no. We both paused for a second and had an 'Oh ... that could have been bad' moment.
C172 pilot reported an NMAC with an IFR aircraft while on a VFR practice approach.