Traffic watch aircraft descends to remain clear of clouds. Possible close proximity of helicopter.

Attributes
ACN	176592
Time
Date	199104
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nbe
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : nbe
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 207 flight time total : 940 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	176592
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : local other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While flying traffic watch at 1500' MSL in the dfw area, the ceiling and visibility began to lower at about xx:45. We proceeded eastbound from the ftw area en route to F67. I was able to maintain the required 1500' AGL and VFR cloud clearance until arriving in navy dallas airspace. At 5 west of navy dallas, I requested and received permission to transition at 1500' AGL. Upon entering navy air traffic area, tower advised me that a traffic watch helicopter was transitioning in the same area. At the same time the ceiling began to lower. To avoid flying into the cloud layer, I descended down to 1200' AGL and did a 180 degree turn back west. As I proceeded westbound, I was able to ascend back to 1400' AGL before leaving navy airspace and turning southbound to land at F67. I'm not sure how close we came to the helicopter and never did see him. Navy dallas reported that our radar returns were overlapping. This occurrence could probably have been avoided if I had flown directly to F67 from ftw when conditions began to deteriorate instead of asking navy dallas to transition in order to check out an automatic accident. This took me north and east of F67 and into worse WX.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRAFFIC WATCH ACFT DESCENDS TO REMAIN CLEAR OF CLOUDS. POSSIBLE CLOSE PROX OF HELICOPTER.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING TFC WATCH AT 1500' MSL IN THE DFW AREA, THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY BEGAN TO LOWER AT ABOUT XX:45. WE PROCEEDED EBND FROM THE FTW AREA ENRTE TO F67. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE REQUIRED 1500' AGL AND VFR CLOUD CLRNC UNTIL ARRIVING IN NAVY DALLAS AIRSPACE. AT 5 W OF NAVY DALLAS, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO TRANSITION AT 1500' AGL. UPON ENTERING NAVY ATA, TWR ADVISED ME THAT A TFC WATCH HELI WAS TRANSITIONING IN THE SAME AREA. AT THE SAME TIME THE CEILING BEGAN TO LOWER. TO AVOID FLYING INTO THE CLOUD LAYER, I DSNDED DOWN TO 1200' AGL AND DID A 180 DEG TURN BACK W. AS I PROCEEDED WBND, I WAS ABLE TO ASCEND BACK TO 1400' AGL BEFORE LEAVING NAVY AIRSPACE AND TURNING SBND TO LAND AT F67. I'M NOT SURE HOW CLOSE WE CAME TO THE HELI AND NEVER DID SEE HIM. NAVY DALLAS RPTED THAT OUR RADAR RETURNS WERE OVERLAPPING. THIS OCCURRENCE COULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD FLOWN DIRECTLY TO F67 FROM FTW WHEN CONDITIONS BEGAN TO DETERIORATE INSTEAD OF ASKING NAVY DALLAS TO TRANSITION IN ORDER TO CHK OUT AN AUTO ACCIDENT. THIS TOOK ME N AND E OF F67 AND INTO WORSE WX.

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.