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Close proximity GA small transport entering oak air traffic area and police helicopter traffic watch aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 187042 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199108 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : oak |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 650 msl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : oak |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 850 |
| ASRS Report | 187042 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| 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 : 0 vertical : 75 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
The near miss occurred with a police helicopter upon entering downwind. The aircraft was spotted 30 seconds before crossing left to right well ahead and low. There was no mention from tower of the traffic. When I entered right downwind, at approximately 1000 MSL, the tower called traffic at my 10 O'clock position. I told tower that traffic was in sight. Just as I looked back I saw a helicopter pass below me from my 2 O'clock position, I pulled up but I am not sure that reaction was any factor in the avoidance. I informed tower, who stated they had previously felt we were in no conflict, so they did not call each of us out to the other. I queried as to the altitude of the helicopter and the pilot responded he was at 650 MSL. I feel he was higher. The traffic should have been called. I should have queried to the activity of the helicopter when first seen. The largest corrective action is that the helicopter should not be flying in the traffic pattern, in conflict with other aircraft, while patrolling the area.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CLOSE PROX GA SMT ENTERING OAK ATA AND POLICE HELI TFC WATCH ACFT.
Narrative: THE NEAR MISS OCCURRED WITH A POLICE HELI UPON ENTERING DOWNWIND. THE ACFT WAS SPOTTED 30 SECONDS BEFORE XING L TO R WELL AHEAD AND LOW. THERE WAS NO MENTION FROM TWR OF THE TFC. WHEN I ENTERED R DOWNWIND, AT APPROX 1000 MSL, THE TWR CALLED TFC AT MY 10 O'CLOCK POS. I TOLD TWR THAT TFC WAS IN SIGHT. JUST AS I LOOKED BACK I SAW A HELI PASS BELOW ME FROM MY 2 O'CLOCK POS, I PULLED UP BUT I AM NOT SURE THAT REACTION WAS ANY FACTOR IN THE AVOIDANCE. I INFORMED TWR, WHO STATED THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY FELT WE WERE IN NO CONFLICT, SO THEY DID NOT CALL EACH OF US OUT TO THE OTHER. I QUERIED AS TO THE ALT OF THE HELI AND THE PLT RESPONDED HE WAS AT 650 MSL. I FEEL HE WAS HIGHER. THE TFC SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED. I SHOULD HAVE QUERIED TO THE ACTIVITY OF THE HELI WHEN FIRST SEEN. THE LARGEST CORRECTIVE ACTION IS THAT THE HELI SHOULD NOT BE FLYING IN THE TFC PATTERN, IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT, WHILE PATROLLING THE AREA.
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.