Near midair collision between an EMS helicopter descending to land and another small aircraft helico...

Attributes
ACN	296687
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	296687
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

In radar contact with ZZZ approach, arriving at ax hospital. Had been advised of opposite direction cessna traffic and cleared to 'descend and land at my own discretion.' at about 1200 ft I saw a hughes 300 helicopter immediately in front of and below me on a course about 20 degrees to the right of mine. I pulled up and right and saw him go by about 50 ft below and to my right. I estimate he was going 40-60 KTS and climbing. He was not in contact with approach at that time and we were just outside the class B airspace. I was not expecting traffic because of my radar contact and was more oriented to the traffic operating within the system. The medical crew was busy with the patient and could not have seen the hughes from their seats anyway. Obviously, the approach control radar is not a reliable system for this type of arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN EMS HELI DSNDING TO LAND AND ANOTHER SMA HELI CLBING.

Narrative: IN RADAR CONTACT WITH ZZZ APCH, ARRIVING AT AX HOSPITAL. HAD BEEN ADVISED OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION CESSNA TFC AND CLRED TO 'DSND AND LAND AT MY OWN DISCRETION.' AT ABOUT 1200 FT I SAW A HUGHES 300 HELI IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF AND BELOW ME ON A COURSE ABOUT 20 DEGS TO THE R OF MINE. I PULLED UP AND R AND SAW HIM GO BY ABOUT 50 FT BELOW AND TO MY R. I ESTIMATE HE WAS GOING 40-60 KTS AND CLBING. HE WAS NOT IN CONTACT WITH APCH AT THAT TIME AND WE WERE JUST OUTSIDE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I WAS NOT EXPECTING TFC BECAUSE OF MY RADAR CONTACT AND WAS MORE ORIENTED TO THE TFC OPERATING WITHIN THE SYS. THE MEDICAL CREW WAS BUSY WITH THE PATIENT AND COULD NOT HAVE SEEN THE HUGHES FROM THEIR SEATS ANYWAY. OBVIOUSLY, THE APCH CTL RADAR IS NOT A RELIABLE SYS FOR THIS TYPE OF ARR.

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.

Near midair collision between an EMS helicopter descending to land and another small aircraft helicopter climbing.