Large crane helicopter has near midair collision with commuter aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	164724
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cyqg
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	164724
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

A part 133 external load operation was completed in detroit and a x-country ferry flight was begun to cary, nc. We contacted detroit city tower, who handed us off to windsor tower. We were cleared of their airspace and frequency changed approved. At this time we contacted FSS for winds aloft, and WX en route and near our destination. We were heading directly into the sun and there was a huge reflection on lake erie. This was enhanced by a mildly dirty wind screen, and not having sunglasses on. While passing through 4500' MSL en route to 9500' MSL, a commuter aircraft appeared at our 1 O'clock and was spotted by our crew chief in the jump seat. It passed right to left slightly above and 400' away. WX was cavu. Transponder was on 1200 with encoder. No evasive action was taken by either aircraft. I feel an onboard traffic alert system would have been helpful to avoid this type of situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LARGE CRANE HELICOPTER HAS NMAC WITH COMMUTER ACFT.

Narrative: A PART 133 EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION WAS COMPLETED IN DETROIT AND A X-COUNTRY FERRY FLT WAS BEGUN TO CARY, NC. WE CONTACTED DETROIT CITY TWR, WHO HANDED US OFF TO WINDSOR TWR. WE WERE CLRED OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND FREQ CHANGED APPROVED. AT THIS TIME WE CONTACTED FSS FOR WINDS ALOFT, AND WX ENRTE AND NEAR OUR DEST. WE WERE HDG DIRECTLY INTO THE SUN AND THERE WAS A HUGE REFLECTION ON LAKE ERIE. THIS WAS ENHANCED BY A MILDLY DIRTY WIND SCREEN, AND NOT HAVING SUNGLASSES ON. WHILE PASSING THROUGH 4500' MSL ENRTE TO 9500' MSL, A COMMUTER ACFT APPEARED AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK AND WAS SPOTTED BY OUR CREW CHIEF IN THE JUMP SEAT. IT PASSED RIGHT TO LEFT SLIGHTLY ABOVE AND 400' AWAY. WX WAS CAVU. XPONDER WAS ON 1200 WITH ENCODER. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY EITHER ACFT. I FEEL AN ONBOARD TFC ALERT SYS WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF SITUATION.

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.