Narrative:

My aircraft was climbing southeast intercepting J2 on a VFR climb through 17000'. Medford approach was working an small aircraft twin (IFR) inbound and descending north V23 from the south. Medford approach advised both aircraft and continued position updates. I chose a VFR climb rather than the SID because of the nonradar environment. Flying the procedure puts eyes inside the cockpit even if it separates one from other IFR traffic. I was expecting to see the small aircraft at our 12:00-1:00 position. I saw him at 10:00. We were at his 10:00-11:00 position. He was possibly 'south' turning to get down. He was in a right turn, possibly avoiding us, when I saw him. Aircraft design may have been a factor. The captain's side was blind because of aircraft structure around the stern window. The copilot's side was blind because of the windshield post. How discovered. Both pilots saw the small aircraft go past. Medford departure was giving excellent advisories and thus I was well aware of the small aircraft. Corrective actions. None were made because of the last second visibility contact with the other aircraft. Human performance. There didn't appear to be any gross errors other than we didn't see the small aircraft. My perception of his location and direction was incorrect relative to where he was finally seen he was at our 10:00 and not 12:00-1:00 as expected. Recommendation. Don't let up on discipline and professionalism. My aircraft has identify lights on the wing tips. It would be better to have our landing lights visible when or gear is up. Tuning the arwy in our VOR and staying off the other acfts arwy would work if that aircraft was where he said.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORPORATE FLT CREW FLYING TURBOPROP CLIMBING OUT OF MFR HAS NMAC WITH LIGHT TWIN IN DESCENT GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS CLBING SE INTERCEPTING J2 ON A VFR CLB THROUGH 17000'. MEDFORD APCH WAS WORKING AN SMA TWIN (IFR) INBND AND DSNDING N V23 FROM THE S. MEDFORD APCH ADVISED BOTH ACFT AND CONTINUED POS UPDATES. I CHOSE A VFR CLB RATHER THAN THE SID BECAUSE OF THE NONRADAR ENVIRONMENT. FLYING THE PROC PUTS EYES INSIDE THE COCKPIT EVEN IF IT SEPARATES ONE FROM OTHER IFR TFC. I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE THE SMA AT OUR 12:00-1:00 POS. I SAW HIM AT 10:00. WE WERE AT HIS 10:00-11:00 POS. HE WAS POSSIBLY 'S' TURNING TO GET DOWN. HE WAS IN A R TURN, POSSIBLY AVOIDING US, WHEN I SAW HIM. ACFT DESIGN MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. THE CAPT'S SIDE WAS BLIND BECAUSE OF ACFT STRUCTURE AROUND THE STERN WINDOW. THE COPLT'S SIDE WAS BLIND BECAUSE OF THE WINDSHIELD POST. HOW DISCOVERED. BOTH PLTS SAW THE SMA GO PAST. MEDFORD DEP WAS GIVING EXCELLENT ADVISORIES AND THUS I WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SMA. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. NONE WERE MADE BECAUSE OF THE LAST SEC VIS CONTACT WITH THE OTHER ACFT. HUMAN PERFORMANCE. THERE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY GROSS ERRORS OTHER THAN WE DIDN'T SEE THE SMA. MY PERCEPTION OF HIS LOCATION AND DIRECTION WAS INCORRECT RELATIVE TO WHERE HE WAS FINALLY SEEN HE WAS AT OUR 10:00 AND NOT 12:00-1:00 AS EXPECTED. RECOMMENDATION. DON'T LET UP ON DISCIPLINE AND PROFESSIONALISM. MY ACFT HAS IDENT LIGHTS ON THE WING TIPS. IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE OUR LNDG LIGHTS VISIBLE WHEN OR GEAR IS UP. TUNING THE ARWY IN OUR VOR AND STAYING OFF THE OTHER ACFTS ARWY WOULD WORK IF THAT ACFT WAS WHERE HE SAID.

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.