Narrative:

The flight crew of a law enforcement helicopter was orbiting over an incident on the ground. Both crewmembers (observer/flight officer and pilot) had focused their attention on the ground activities while in a left hand orbit. After approximately 1-2 mins, we completed our operation. Upon completion of the last orbit, we leveled the aircraft and saw an airplane at our 1-2 O'clock position, on a converging course. Both aircraft were at an altitude of 900 ft. We quickly took evasive action, coming within 150-200 ft of the other aircraft. After making a sharp l-hand descending turn, we saw the airplane heading away from the area. Identify of the aircraft was not obtained, so it was unable to determine whether he saw us or not. Proper diligence for VFR traffic was not maintained by the crew. There was also a complacent feeling that a fixed-wing aircraft would not be down that low. The principle of 'see and be seen' under VFR conditions must always be re- emphasized. WX at time of occurrence: clear 10-15 mi visibility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: THE FLC OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI WAS ORBITING OVER AN INCIDENT ON THE GND. BOTH CREWMEMBERS (OBSERVER/FLT OFFICER AND PLT) HAD FOCUSED THEIR ATTN ON THE GND ACTIVITIES WHILE IN A L HAND ORBIT. AFTER APPROX 1-2 MINS, WE COMPLETED OUR OP. UPON COMPLETION OF THE LAST ORBIT, WE LEVELED THE ACFT AND SAW AN AIRPLANE AT OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS, ON A CONVERGING COURSE. BOTH ACFT WERE AT AN ALT OF 900 FT. WE QUICKLY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION, COMING WITHIN 150-200 FT OF THE OTHER ACFT. AFTER MAKING A SHARP L-HAND DSNDING TURN, WE SAW THE AIRPLANE HEADING AWAY FROM THE AREA. IDENT OF THE ACFT WAS NOT OBTAINED, SO IT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER HE SAW US OR NOT. PROPER DILIGENCE FOR VFR TFC WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE CREW. THERE WAS ALSO A COMPLACENT FEELING THAT A FIXED-WING ACFT WOULD NOT BE DOWN THAT LOW. THE PRINCIPLE OF 'SEE AND BE SEEN' UNDER VFR CONDITIONS MUST ALWAYS BE RE- EMPHASIZED. WX AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE: CLR 10-15 MI VISIBILITY.

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.