Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from bakersfield, ca, to monterey, ca. I had flown northwest from bakersfield to ehf VORTAC and proceeded westbound on V248 in a cruise climb to 6500'. During the cruise climb phase of around 4500', I made a shallow bank to the left to demonstrate the effect of the controls to a passenger. When I did so, I saw another small aircraft slightly above and to my right going in the opp direction in what appeared to be a shallow descent. Until I made the shallow turn to the left, my view of the other aircraft was observed, at least partially, by an aluminum fixture, glued to the windshield, which holds the magnetic compass and thermometer. No evasive maneuver was taken by the small aircraft and I don't think he ever saw me. This event could have been avoided if I had been making shallow turns all during the climb phase. I was a little lax in this because this was the last leg of a long x-country and emotionally, I felt I was 'practically home'. The aircraft that I was flying had very good visibility which I had been taking for granted. However, it does have this one blind spot where the compass/thermometer mounts, and the other small aircraft was in it. It would be helpful if the fixture were moved or made smaller. Failing that, moving the pilots head or the airplane so one piece of airspace isn't always on the inevitable blind spot, is the only way to avoid this type of event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM BAKERSFIELD, CA, TO MONTEREY, CA. I HAD FLOWN NW FROM BAKERSFIELD TO EHF VORTAC AND PROCEEDED WBND ON V248 IN A CRUISE CLB TO 6500'. DURING THE CRUISE CLB PHASE OF AROUND 4500', I MADE A SHALLOW BANK TO THE L TO DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECT OF THE CTLS TO A PAX. WHEN I DID SO, I SAW ANOTHER SMA SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND TO MY R GOING IN THE OPP DIRECTION IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SHALLOW DSNT. UNTIL I MADE THE SHALLOW TURN TO THE L, MY VIEW OF THE OTHER ACFT WAS OBSERVED, AT LEAST PARTIALLY, BY AN ALUMINUM FIXTURE, GLUED TO THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH HOLDS THE MAGNETIC COMPASS AND THERMOMETER. NO EVASIVE MANEUVER WAS TAKEN BY THE SMA AND I DON'T THINK HE EVER SAW ME. THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD BEEN MAKING SHALLOW TURNS ALL DURING THE CLB PHASE. I WAS A LITTLE LAX IN THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS THE LAST LEG OF A LONG X-COUNTRY AND EMOTIONALLY, I FELT I WAS 'PRACTICALLY HOME'. THE ACFT THAT I WAS FLYING HAD VERY GOOD VISIBILITY WHICH I HAD BEEN TAKING FOR GRANTED. HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE THIS ONE BLIND SPOT WHERE THE COMPASS/THERMOMETER MOUNTS, AND THE OTHER SMA WAS IN IT. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE FIXTURE WERE MOVED OR MADE SMALLER. FAILING THAT, MOVING THE PLTS HEAD OR THE AIRPLANE SO ONE PIECE OF AIRSPACE ISN'T ALWAYS ON THE INEVITABLE BLIND SPOT, IS THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF EVENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.