Commuter aircraft takes evasive action when small transport sighted.

Attributes
ACN	221062
Time
Date	199209
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gdm
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : bos
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 328 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 820
ASRS Report	221062
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were in cruise flight on IFR flight plan tracking inbound for bos just outside the TCA. I looked to the left and there was a blue and white small transport Y climbing. He banked right and I banked right. I called approach to notify the controller. He said 'he had no targets but was busy calling traffic' in his sector. No one injured and passenger did not even realize how close the other aircraft was. It appeared the aircraft was climbing VFR with the sun in his eyes, and didn't see us. I had a hard time seeing the small transport due to backgnd contrast from boston metropolitan area. He must not have been using his transponder or was trying to skirt around the TCA airspace. The controller was busy, but when I called him to report, he anticipated that I wanted an altitude change because he cleared me out of 7000 for 5000. I had to call again to report the near miss. The controller's actions were not bad, they do a great job. I just don't know how we could come so close on an IFR flight plan and not set up a conflict alert.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT TAKES EVASIVE ACTION WHEN SMT SIGHTED.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CRUISE FLT ON IFR FLT PLAN TRACKING INBOUND FOR BOS JUST OUTSIDE THE TCA. I LOOKED TO THE L AND THERE WAS A BLUE AND WHITE SMT Y CLBING. HE BANKED R AND I BANKED R. I CALLED APCH TO NOTIFY THE CTLR. HE SAID 'HE HAD NO TARGETS BUT WAS BUSY CALLING TFC' IN HIS SECTOR. NO ONE INJURED AND PAX DID NOT EVEN REALIZE HOW CLOSE THE OTHER ACFT WAS. IT APPEARED THE ACFT WAS CLBING VFR WITH THE SUN IN HIS EYES, AND DIDN'T SEE US. I HAD A HARD TIME SEEING THE SMT DUE TO BACKGND CONTRAST FROM BOSTON METRO AREA. HE MUST NOT HAVE BEEN USING HIS TRANSPONDER OR WAS TRYING TO SKIRT AROUND THE TCA AIRSPACE. THE CTLR WAS BUSY, BUT WHEN I CALLED HIM TO RPT, HE ANTICIPATED THAT I WANTED AN ALT CHANGE BECAUSE HE CLRED ME OUT OF 7000 FOR 5000. I HAD TO CALL AGAIN TO RPT THE NEAR MISS. THE CTLR'S ACTIONS WERE NOT BAD, THEY DO A GREAT JOB. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW WE COULD COME SO CLOSE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND NOT SET UP A CONFLICT ALERT.

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.