M-20 R Ovation
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 47; Flight Crew Total 430; Flight Crew Type 151
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors
I was inbound to RYY and on vectors by Approach. I was initially instructed to descend to 4;000ft and intercept the localizer for Runway 27 at RYY. At 4;000; I was in and out of IMC and my next clearance was to descend to 3;000 ft. On the descent; the controller asked me to report the airport in sight. At approximately 4 miles from ALBRS; I reported the airport in sight and was told cleared for the visual approach Runway 27; radar services terminated and told to switch tower frequency. I switched tower and reported my position as 3 miles from ALBRS tracking the localizer inbound for full stop. Tower requested I report a 5 mile final and asked if I had a visual on the traffic on final. I responded looking. I did not see any traffic ahead of me. I checked airspeed and lowered the gear to reduce speed to intercept the glide path for the visual approach. At about that time; I received a traffic alert from my active traffic system 'less than 1 mile and same altitude.' My wife was in the copilot seat and pointed out the traffic. I saw what appeared to be a red and white Cessna 172 closing on about a 130 heading at my 1 o'clock high (approximately 100 ft above us). I initiated an evasive maneuver down and left and the aircraft passed above me. I reported to the tower that we passed in close proximity and asked if he had the aircraft on radar. He said he had him at 3000 ft. I am not sure they ever saw my aircraft. I was cleared to land and executed an uneventful landing. After I cleared the runway; the controller asked me what color the aircraft was. I told him it looked like a red and white Cessna.This event happened in a very short time span between the approach controller handing me off and the tower fully integrating me into the traffic pattern. When my wife and I fly together; we always brief the importance of looking for traffic especially in the terminal area. Fortunately; technology and her looking for the traffic averted a bad situation.
M20 pilot reported a NMAC with a C172 while on approach to RYY.