Close proximity charter small aircraft helicopter entering traffic pattern at non tower airport.

Attributes
ACN	141056
Time
Date	199003
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bld
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3200 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 980 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	141056
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Returning from a grand canyon scenic flight, I reported turning around the hoover dam at 3500', switching to bld unicom. I switched from 123.05 to 122.7 (bld unicom) and descended to 3200' and reported coming up on gold strike casino. Shortly after, a helicopter appeared in front of me. I pulled the nose of my aircraft up to avoid the helicopter. I first saw the plane of the rotor blades painted black and white. The front seat passenger and I saw the helicopter at the same instant and my reaction was instantaneous. I spoke to the helicopter pilot right away and we had both reported the gold strike casino but on different frequencys. I had heard the helicopter report at a different location earlier and was aware of his presence and watching for him. He turned out to be just below my line of sight and was difficult to see. To prevent a recurrence, we will plan on staying at 3500' until past our chkpoint. We will go south of the chkpoint while helicopter will go north. Hopefully this with increased awareness will stop anything like this happening again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX CHARTER SMA HELI ENTERING TRAFFIC PATTERN AT NON TWR ARPT.

Narrative: RETURNING FROM A GRAND CANYON SCENIC FLT, I RPTED TURNING AROUND THE HOOVER DAM AT 3500', SWITCHING TO BLD UNICOM. I SWITCHED FROM 123.05 TO 122.7 (BLD UNICOM) AND DSNDED TO 3200' AND RPTED COMING UP ON GOLD STRIKE CASINO. SHORTLY AFTER, A HELI APPEARED IN FRONT OF ME. I PULLED THE NOSE OF MY ACFT UP TO AVOID THE HELI. I FIRST SAW THE PLANE OF THE ROTOR BLADES PAINTED BLACK AND WHITE. THE FRONT SEAT PAX AND I SAW THE HELI AT THE SAME INSTANT AND MY REACTION WAS INSTANTANEOUS. I SPOKE TO THE HELI PLT RIGHT AWAY AND WE HAD BOTH RPTED THE GOLD STRIKE CASINO BUT ON DIFFERENT FREQS. I HAD HEARD THE HELI RPT AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION EARLIER AND WAS AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE AND WATCHING FOR HIM. HE TURNED OUT TO BE JUST BELOW MY LINE OF SIGHT AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, WE WILL PLAN ON STAYING AT 3500' UNTIL PAST OUR CHKPOINT. WE WILL GO S OF THE CHKPOINT WHILE HELI WILL GO N. HOPEFULLY THIS WITH INCREASED AWARENESS WILL STOP ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING AGAIN.

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.