DA40 Diamond Star
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 110; Flight Crew Total 500; Flight Crew Type 175
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Flying to the south climbing from 4300 FT to 6500 FT behind company archer aircraft maintaining visual separation. Archer ahead stopped climb at 5500 feet and we continued to climb to 6500 to pass Archer overhead; making our intentions known to the Archer aircraft. While climbing through 6;000 FT we received a traffic alert for traffic on our right from our TCAS system. This contact was not previously shown on TCAS until the alert was made. TCAS showed the traffic was 300 FT below and climbing on an eastbound heading. Instructor pilot raised wing to be more visible while looking for traffic. Traffic passed in front of us at approximately the same altitude and about 500 FT ahead. Visual contact was made with the aircraft when it was at the one to two o'clock position. Instructor made climbing right turn to avoid traffic.  No radio calls had been made by this aircraft before or after the incident. In relation to the company Archer traffic which we were overflying; this aircraft flew in close proximity to the both of us and directly in between us.
Our flight school was informed of a near midair occurring on the date and time given by another flight school in the local area. The description of the aircraft and incident provided by the other flight school narrowed the incident down to one of two aircraft operated by our flight school; one of which I was flying. Evasive action was taken by the other aircraft after receiving a traffic advisory on his TCAS. No evasive action was taken by our aircraft as our pilot did not see the other aircraft. Our flight school uses this airspace for training and the other uses it for transit to their training areas. Both flight schools are aware of the presence of the other in this airspace. Safety officers from both organizations are working together to mitigate this risk.
DA40 crew received a TCAS alert and took evasive action to avoid an Extra-300.