A eurocopter bk117c1 has an near midair collision with a crossing piper cub at 800 ft AGL.

Attributes
ACN	428561
Time
Date	199902
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 10 other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	428561
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : nurse
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : pax 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During cruise flight at 800 ft AGL en route to hospital, the nurse in the copilot seat noted an approaching aircraft at very close proximity. I leaned forward and looked left to acquire targets, then took evasive action (rapid descent) to avoid collision. Target aircraft was heading 360 degrees at approximately the same altitude. I was heading 270 degrees. I initiated a 360 degree turn to reacquire the target aircraft, it had continued on course and oblivious to the near midair collision. The 2 aircraft passed between 100-200 ft of each other. The target aircraft was in my blind spot (overhead throttles) and the nurse's blind spot (cabin door structure) as well. Even though the crew was very much vigilant, as we were pointing out town after town with the exceptionally good WX, the target aircraft was missed due to manufactured blind spots. Head movements should be incorporated with eyeball movements during the normal scan, thus minimizing blind spot coverage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A EUROCOPTER BK117C1 HAS AN NMAC WITH A XING PIPER CUB AT 800 FT AGL.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT AT 800 FT AGL ENRTE TO HOSPITAL, THE NURSE IN THE COPLT SEAT NOTED AN APCHING ACFT AT VERY CLOSE PROX. I LEANED FORWARD AND LOOKED L TO ACQUIRE TARGETS, THEN TOOK EVASIVE ACTION (RAPID DSCNT) TO AVOID COLLISION. TARGET ACFT WAS HDG 360 DEGS AT APPROX THE SAME ALT. I WAS HDG 270 DEGS. I INITIATED A 360 DEG TURN TO REACQUIRE THE TARGET ACFT, IT HAD CONTINUED ON COURSE AND OBLIVIOUS TO THE NMAC. THE 2 ACFT PASSED BTWN 100-200 FT OF EACH OTHER. THE TARGET ACFT WAS IN MY BLIND SPOT (OVERHEAD THROTTLES) AND THE NURSE'S BLIND SPOT (CABIN DOOR STRUCTURE) AS WELL. EVEN THOUGH THE CREW WAS VERY MUCH VIGILANT, AS WE WERE POINTING OUT TOWN AFTER TOWN WITH THE EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD WX, THE TARGET ACFT WAS MISSED DUE TO MANUFACTURED BLIND SPOTS. HEAD MOVEMENTS SHOULD BE INCORPORATED WITH EYEBALL MOVEMENTS DURING THE NORMAL SCAN, THUS MINIMIZING BLIND SPOT COVERAGE.

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.