Evasive action turn taken to avoid a news helicopter.

Attributes
ACN	306143
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rnt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 1700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rnt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	306143
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	306149
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 800 vertical : 75
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just east of rnt class D airspace, sebound, monitoring rnt tower for awareness, rnt was talking to 2 helicopters. Helicopter X reported maple valley (east of us) at 1000 ft wbound. Rnt called for a position report from helicopter Y. I spotted a helicopter northbound at 1 mi and 50-100 ft lower over lake youngs. Although to conflict was apparent, I initiated a gentle left turn to increase separation. The helicopter then started to turn toward me. I increased the turn rate, maintaining visual contact. The traffic then abruptly initiated a left driving turn away from me. Helicopter Y then reported to rnt tower 'we were strafed.' further radio traffic indicated that the helicopter was en route to a ground fire (smoke) behind (north of) our position. It appears that the helicopter was concentrating on the ground target and should have cleared the airspace prior to initiating a turn. At no time was a collision imminent and his final maneuver was apparently due to being surprised. More attention to see and avoid would reduce the possibility of this chain of events recurring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVASIVE ACTION TURN TAKEN TO AVOID A NEWS HELI.

Narrative: JUST E OF RNT CLASS D AIRSPACE, SEBOUND, MONITORING RNT TWR FOR AWARENESS, RNT WAS TALKING TO 2 HELIS. HELI X RPTED MAPLE VALLEY (E OF US) AT 1000 FT WBOUND. RNT CALLED FOR A POS RPT FROM HELI Y. I SPOTTED A HELI NBOUND AT 1 MI AND 50-100 FT LOWER OVER LAKE YOUNGS. ALTHOUGH TO CONFLICT WAS APPARENT, I INITIATED A GENTLE L TURN TO INCREASE SEPARATION. THE HELI THEN STARTED TO TURN TOWARD ME. I INCREASED THE TURN RATE, MAINTAINING VISUAL CONTACT. THE TFC THEN ABRUPTLY INITIATED A L DRIVING TURN AWAY FROM ME. HELI Y THEN RPTED TO RNT TWR 'WE WERE STRAFED.' FURTHER RADIO TFC INDICATED THAT THE HELI WAS ENRTE TO A GND FIRE (SMOKE) BEHIND (N OF) OUR POS. IT APPEARS THAT THE HELI WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE GND TARGET AND SHOULD HAVE CLRED THE AIRSPACE PRIOR TO INITIATING A TURN. AT NO TIME WAS A COLLISION IMMINENT AND HIS FINAL MANEUVER WAS APPARENTLY DUE TO BEING SURPRISED. MORE ATTN TO SEE AND AVOID WOULD REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CHAIN OF EVENTS RECURRING.

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.