Narrative:

I had just leveled off at TOC departing bfl direct fat. My cruise altitude was 2700 ft MSL. I was staying below cloud bases (3400 ft broken). I looked down at my engine gauges for about 2-3 seconds, then looked up for visual scan. I saw large helicopter (possibly ex-military type) at my 12 O'clock position heading towards me approximately 100 ft below me. He then turned west staying level. I turned immediately sharp to east and climbing. This put me 400 ft higher and quite nearly into the cloud base. Looking behind me, I could not see him. I think he may have been maneuvering or perhaps hovering because I did not detect any forward speed of his aircraft. I had heard from pilot group, flying management and others that an altitude at odd altitudes (less than 3000 ft MSL) are best because most pilots fly at 500 ft intervals. Hence, 2700 ft MSL would be a good choice because I would have separation with traffic at 1500 ft, 2000 ft, 2500 ft, 3000 ft, etc. Perhaps I should rethink this. Yet, my flight was taking me north into descending bases, so I let this influence my choice of cruise altitude. I didn't want to get stuck on top at my destination. I don't know how I didn't see him as he was brightly painted in yellow and green against a monotone light brown landscape. Also, his rotor blades were alternating white/black stripes. This also causes me to believe he was hovering. I did not feel fatigued or overwhelmed with the flight or WX. All equipment on my aircraft was functioning normally so I was not preoccupied. Other than increased attention to see and avoid while VFR, I don't know of any resolution for this incident. The rest of my flight was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC CONFLICT IN VISUAL CONDITIONS BTWN A HELI AND SMA ACFT.

Narrative: I HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AT TOC DEPARTING BFL DIRECT FAT. MY CRUISE ALT WAS 2700 FT MSL. I WAS STAYING BELOW CLOUD BASES (3400 FT BROKEN). I LOOKED DOWN AT MY ENG GAUGES FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS, THEN LOOKED UP FOR VISUAL SCAN. I SAW LARGE HELI (POSSIBLY EX-MIL TYPE) AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS HDG TOWARDS ME APPROX 100 FT BELOW ME. HE THEN TURNED W STAYING LEVEL. I TURNED IMMEDIATELY SHARP TO E AND CLBING. THIS PUT ME 400 FT HIGHER AND QUITE NEARLY INTO THE CLOUD BASE. LOOKING BEHIND ME, I COULD NOT SEE HIM. I THINK HE MAY HAVE BEEN MANEUVERING OR PERHAPS HOVERING BECAUSE I DID NOT DETECT ANY FORWARD SPD OF HIS ACFT. I HAD HEARD FROM PLT GROUP, FLYING MGMNT AND OTHERS THAT AN ALT AT ODD ALTS (LESS THAN 3000 FT MSL) ARE BEST BECAUSE MOST PLTS FLY AT 500 FT INTERVALS. HENCE, 2700 FT MSL WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE SEPARATION WITH TFC AT 1500 FT, 2000 FT, 2500 FT, 3000 FT, ETC. PERHAPS I SHOULD RETHINK THIS. YET, MY FLT WAS TAKING ME N INTO DSNDING BASES, SO I LET THIS INFLUENCE MY CHOICE OF CRUISE ALT. I DIDN'T WANT TO GET STUCK ON TOP AT MY DEST. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DIDN'T SEE HIM AS HE WAS BRIGHTLY PAINTED IN YELLOW AND GREEN AGAINST A MONOTONE LIGHT BROWN LANDSCAPE. ALSO, HIS ROTOR BLADES WERE ALTERNATING WHITE/BLACK STRIPES. THIS ALSO CAUSES ME TO BELIEVE HE WAS HOVERING. I DID NOT FEEL FATIGUED OR OVERWHELMED WITH THE FLT OR WX. ALL EQUIP ON MY ACFT WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY SO I WAS NOT PREOCCUPIED. OTHER THAN INCREASED ATTN TO SEE AND AVOID WHILE VFR, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY RESOLUTION FOR THIS INCIDENT. THE REST OF MY FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.