Cessna 152 pilot transiting cno airspace reported an near midair collision with a helicopter climbin...

Narrative:

I was in cruise flight at 2;000 ft MSL northwest bound along highway 71 at 4 NM west of chino airport. I was on an approved transition through chino's class D airspace. A departing twin turbine helicopter departed chino airport and was provided with my position; altitude; and direction of flight. I spotted the helicopter as it rapidly accelerated and climbed directly toward my aircraft. As I evaluated the helicopter's flight path (it looked like it was still accelerating and climbing toward me); I began a turn to maneuver away from the helicopter when it turned to the north and then I lost sight of it. I scanned from right to left when I saw the helicopter passing just beneath me to my left side. The helicopter continued its climb. It is bewildering why the helicopter which has the ability to hover and is unconstrained by minimum altitudes required of airplanes would continue to accelerate and climb toward called out traffic. In my opinion; the helicopter should have slowed down and maintained 1;500 ft MSL until positively identifying my aircraft or crossing the highway. The helicopter has excellent visibility both above and below with a windscreen that extends from the pilot's feet to over their head. With such excellent visibility; climbing up and toward a blue sky; the pilot should have been in an excellent position to spot my aircraft without getting so close. They should have slowed down and leveled off to mitigate collision hazard and lower flight risk. Most general aviation airplanes have fairly poor visibility especially to the right side from the left seat; the pilot's perspective is limited. In addition; when a pilot is looking down; as I was; it is easy to lose traffic targets as those targets can easily blend into the industrial landscape. Further; while the regulations do not specify helicopters in the right away rules; practice is that more maneuverable aircraft gives the right-of-way to the less maneuverable aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Cessna 152 pilot transiting CNO airspace reported an NMAC with a helicopter climbing out of CNO. Reporter contends that more maneuverable helicopter should have maintained separation from the reported Cessna traffic.

Narrative: I was in cruise flight at 2;000 FT MSL northwest bound along Highway 71 at 4 NM west of Chino Airport. I was on an approved transition through Chino's Class D airspace. A departing twin turbine helicopter departed Chino airport and was provided with my position; altitude; and direction of flight. I spotted the helicopter as it rapidly accelerated and climbed directly toward my aircraft. As I evaluated the helicopter's flight path (it looked like it was still accelerating and climbing toward me); I began a turn to maneuver away from the helicopter when it turned to the north and then I lost sight of it. I scanned from right to left when I saw the helicopter passing just beneath me to my left side. The helicopter continued its climb. It is bewildering why the helicopter which has the ability to hover and is unconstrained by minimum altitudes required of airplanes would continue to accelerate and climb toward called out traffic. In my opinion; the helicopter should have slowed down and maintained 1;500 FT MSL until positively identifying my aircraft or crossing the highway. The helicopter has excellent visibility both above and below with a windscreen that extends from the pilot's feet to over their head. With such excellent visibility; climbing up and toward a blue sky; the pilot should have been in an excellent position to spot my aircraft without getting so close. They should have slowed down and leveled off to mitigate collision hazard and lower flight risk. Most general aviation airplanes have fairly poor visibility especially to the right side from the left seat; the pilot's perspective is limited. In addition; when a pilot is looking down; as I was; it is easy to lose traffic targets as those targets can easily blend into the industrial landscape. Further; while the regulations do not specify helicopters in the right away rules; practice is that more maneuverable aircraft gives the right-of-way to the less maneuverable aircraft.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1020751
Time
Date	201206
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	CNO.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25 Flight Crew Total 1400 Flight Crew Type 500
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 400 Vertical 200

Cessna 152 pilot transiting cno airspace reported an near midair collision with a helicopter climbing out of cno. Reporter contends that more maneuverable helicopter should have maintained separation from the reported cessna traffic.