Narrative:

Just handed off by denver center to cys approach control at approximately 30 NM south of cys with no traffic advisories other than IFR at 11 O'clock at 11000 ft opposite direction which we made visual contact on then given to cys approach control. We were at 10000 ft MSL upon check-in with current ATIS and given a clearance of 'descend to 8000 ft passing 25 NM south and call the field in sight for a visual approach'. We started our descent at 25 NM south and reached 8000 ft at approximately 20 NM south and was leveling out when a red on white small aircraft crossed our path eastbound across V19 level at 8000 ft. We never saw the aircraft, as it was in my (PIC) blind spot on the left side of the aircraft, until entering my view on the left front windshield of my aircraft. The first officer flying never saw him until I said 'watch out'. The first officer was trying, at the time, to level out and make a visual, along with me, of the field. I immediately took the aircraft into a left diving turn to avoid a collision. I then called cys approach to inform them as to what had just occurred, giving the aircraft back to the first officer to continue flying. Approach contacted denver center to try and get radar contact on a VFR target in that area. Center reported back that they did have a VFR aircraft in that area eastbound at 8100 ft. The rest of our flight continued without further incident. All proper reports and documents have been made and filed. It is my opinion that there is a very good reason for cys to have radar coverage as center does not always call out all traffic to us. Our attention, even though we were IFR, descending for landing VMC, and still responsible to visual separation at all times, should be, and is, focused on this critical phase of flight. A radar environment cannot be stressed enough for cys! Along with this statement part 135 operators (our company are 135 and part 121 for our company aircraft) should be equipped with TCASII systems. I honestly believe this situation would not have occurred if TCASII was on board. We would have at least known his position and been 'looking' for this aircraft squawking VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT HAD NMAC WITH SMA 20 S OF CYS.

Narrative: JUST HANDED OFF BY DENVER CENTER TO CYS APCH CTL AT APPROX 30 NM S OF CYS WITH NO TFC ADVISORIES OTHER THAN IFR AT 11 O'CLOCK AT 11000 FT OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHICH WE MADE VISUAL CONTACT ON THEN GIVEN TO CYS APCH CTL. WE WERE AT 10000 FT MSL UPON CHK-IN WITH CURRENT ATIS AND GIVEN A CLRNC OF 'DSND TO 8000 FT PASSING 25 NM S AND CALL THE FIELD IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH'. WE STARTED OUR DSCNT AT 25 NM S AND REACHED 8000 FT AT APPROX 20 NM S AND WAS LEVELING OUT WHEN A RED ON WHITE SMA CROSSED OUR PATH EBOUND ACROSS V19 LEVEL AT 8000 FT. WE NEVER SAW THE ACFT, AS IT WAS IN MY (PIC) BLIND SPOT ON THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT, UNTIL ENTERING MY VIEW ON THE L FRONT WINDSHIELD OF MY ACFT. THE FO FLYING NEVER SAW HIM UNTIL I SAID 'WATCH OUT'. THE FO WAS TRYING, AT THE TIME, TO LEVEL OUT AND MAKE A VISUAL, ALONG WITH ME, OF THE FIELD. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE ACFT INTO A L DIVING TURN TO AVOID A COLLISION. I THEN CALLED CYS APCH TO INFORM THEM AS TO WHAT HAD JUST OCCURRED, GIVING THE ACFT BACK TO THE FO TO CONTINUE FLYING. APCH CONTACTED DENVER CENTER TO TRY AND GET RADAR CONTACT ON A VFR TARGET IN THAT AREA. CENTER RPTED BACK THAT THEY DID HAVE A VFR ACFT IN THAT AREA EBOUND AT 8100 FT. THE REST OF OUR FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ALL PROPER RPTS AND DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE AND FILED. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THERE IS A VERY GOOD REASON FOR CYS TO HAVE RADAR COVERAGE AS CENTER DOES NOT ALWAYS CALL OUT ALL TFC TO US. OUR ATTN, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE IFR, DSNDING FOR LNDG VMC, AND STILL RESPONSIBLE TO VISUAL SEPARATION AT ALL TIMES, SHOULD BE, AND IS, FOCUSED ON THIS CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. A RADAR ENVIRONMENT CANNOT BE STRESSED ENOUGH FOR CYS! ALONG WITH THIS STATEMENT PART 135 OPERATORS (OUR COMPANY ARE 135 AND PART 121 FOR OUR COMPANY ACFT) SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH TCASII SYSTEMS. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THIS SITUATION WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF TCASII WAS ON BOARD. WE WOULD HAVE AT LEAST KNOWN HIS POS AND BEEN 'LOOKING' FOR THIS ACFT SQUAWKING VFR.

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.