Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 115; Flight Crew Total 1043; Flight Crew Type 110
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
During a Cross Country solo training flight in a Cessna 172SP; I was involved in a situation that resulted in a near mid-air collision with a U.S. Air Force Aircraft Y cargo plane. It should be noted that the bulk of my aviation experience comes from flying helicopters. The majority of my flight experience has occurred in the Northeast region of the United States. On this particular day; just prior to the event in question; I felt very comfortable in the mode of flight I was operating in. I have been attending a full-time part 141 school to 'transition' to fixed wing flying for the past two months. During this time I have logged over 100 hours of flying time in the same type of aircraft I was flying; in the same region the incident occurred. At the time of the incident; I was in the last 20 minutes of an approximately three hour flight. I was flight following with Approach Control when I heard the controller mention my tail number followed by a transmission I did not understand. I asked the controller to 'say again'. The next transmission I heard alerted me to traffic at my 9 o'clock. When I looked out the left window of my aircraft I witnessed an Aircraft Y; less than one mile from me; rapidly descending out of my altitude. I immediately initiated a climb. I informed the controller that the Aircraft Y was passing below me. I then heard the Aircraft Y pilot mention that his RA had alerted him to my position. Had it not been for the quick actions of the pilot of the Aircraft Y; I believe we would have been on a direct collision course with one another. I was complacent in the fact that I expected ATC to give me pertinent advisories; knowing full well that while flying VFR those advisories come on a work-load permitting basis. This situation could have easily ended in disaster had it not been for the last minute advisory I got from ATC; combined with the quick actions of the Aircraft Y pilot. I was not actively scanning my surroundings and I failed to notice the Aircraft Ys ASD-B position on my EFB.
A General Aviation pilot on a solo cross country training flight reported a NMAC.