Narrative:

My aircraft was en route from kccr to ktvl, VFR, my aircraft was climbing 1000-1500 FPM at 160 KIAS. Strobe and recognition lights were on. I had a request with travis approach for flight following, but it was not received. The other aircraft was first seen at my 11 O'clock, close enough to require immediate action. The other aircraft was a gray small aircraft flying southwest in level flight. My aircraft was in his 2 O'clock position. I took control of the airplane, putting it in a 45 degree left bank. I didn't have time to announce I took the airplane from the first officer. The other aircraft didn't change course. It is assumed neither aircraft had flight following. The small aircraft was not heard on the travis frequency. Normally I fly IFR, including departures and arrs. This time I made an exception, with the encouragement of the first officer. To this extent I failed in judgement and limited a margin of safety in a high performance airplane. It is my thought to use part 135/121 as a guide to operation standards. The left windshield post could have blocked my view of the other aircraft. My aircraft, an small transport, is hard to look around posts due to limited head room while leaning forward. An small transport Z was much better, even with smaller windows. The PF has a tendency to spend too much time inside the cockpit under similar flight conditions. Although not a factor, this situation is why I normally save the after takeoff checklist to after level off or 10000 ft. Basically, this situation would have been avoided if I had maintained my own standards and made the trip under IFR. This is another form of 'get thereitis.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: MY ACFT WAS ENRTE FROM KCCR TO KTVL, VFR, MY ACFT WAS CLBING 1000-1500 FPM AT 160 KIAS. STROBE AND RECOGNITION LIGHTS WERE ON. I HAD A REQUEST WITH TRAVIS APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING, BUT IT WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE OTHER ACFT WAS FIRST SEEN AT MY 11 O'CLOCK, CLOSE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ACTION. THE OTHER ACFT WAS A GRAY SMA FLYING SW IN LEVEL FLT. MY ACFT WAS IN HIS 2 O'CLOCK POS. I TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE, PUTTING IT IN A 45 DEG L BANK. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO ANNOUNCE I TOOK THE AIRPLANE FROM THE FO. THE OTHER ACFT DIDN'T CHANGE COURSE. IT IS ASSUMED NEITHER ACFT HAD FLT FOLLOWING. THE SMA WAS NOT HEARD ON THE TRAVIS FREQ. NORMALLY I FLY IFR, INCLUDING DEPS AND ARRS. THIS TIME I MADE AN EXCEPTION, WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE FO. TO THIS EXTENT I FAILED IN JUDGEMENT AND LIMITED A MARGIN OF SAFETY IN A HIGH PERFORMANCE AIRPLANE. IT IS MY THOUGHT TO USE PART 135/121 AS A GUIDE TO OP STANDARDS. THE L WINDSHIELD POST COULD HAVE BLOCKED MY VIEW OF THE OTHER ACFT. MY ACFT, AN SMT, IS HARD TO LOOK AROUND POSTS DUE TO LIMITED HEAD ROOM WHILE LEANING FORWARD. AN SMT Z WAS MUCH BETTER, EVEN WITH SMALLER WINDOWS. THE PF HAS A TENDENCY TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME INSIDE THE COCKPIT UNDER SIMILAR FLT CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH NOT A FACTOR, THIS SIT IS WHY I NORMALLY SAVE THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST TO AFTER LEVEL OFF OR 10000 FT. BASICALLY, THIS SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD MAINTAINED MY OWN STANDARDS AND MADE THE TRIP UNDER IFR. THIS IS ANOTHER FORM OF 'GET THEREITIS.'

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.