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Pilot of a government small aircraft helicopter penetrated class B airspace during a government surveillance activity. In addition another government helicopter came very close without prior coordination causing a near midair collision.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 322757 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199512 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tmb |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mia tracon : dfw |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | AS 350 Astar/Ecureuil |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | AS 355 Twinstar |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 322757 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 300 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
While on a law enforcement surveillance mission of a known criminal, we requested a clearance from tmb tower to operate at 1500 ft MSL in the northern portion of his class D airspace. Clearance was obtained. The tower operator advised us that a govt AS355 was operating north of our position on mia approach frequency 125.5, and the govt helicopter was operating at 1700 MSL. We first observed the govt helicopter approximately 300 ft from us at the same altitude. The govt helicopter was obviously on a 5 mi orbit compared to our 2 mi orbit. We attempted contact on 123.05 and 123.02. The govt helicopter eventually attempted to fly unannounced formation on our aircraft without first establishing 2-WAY communication according to far section 91. ATC advises we never entered bravo airspace. We are attempting to resolve this issue throughout respective agencies.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF A GOV SMA HELI PENETRATED CLASS B AIRSPACE DURING A GOV SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITY. IN ADDITION ANOTHER GOV HELI CAME VERY CLOSE WITHOUT PRIOR COORD CAUSING A NMAC.
Narrative: WHILE ON A LAW ENFORCEMENT SURVEILLANCE MISSION OF A KNOWN CRIMINAL, WE REQUESTED A CLRNC FROM TMB TWR TO OPERATE AT 1500 FT MSL IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF HIS CLASS D AIRSPACE. CLRNC WAS OBTAINED. THE TWR OPERATOR ADVISED US THAT A GOVT AS355 WAS OPERATING N OF OUR POS ON MIA APCH FREQ 125.5, AND THE GOVT HELI WAS OPERATING AT 1700 MSL. WE FIRST OBSERVED THE GOVT HELI APPROX 300 FT FROM US AT THE SAME ALT. THE GOVT HELI WAS OBVIOUSLY ON A 5 MI ORBIT COMPARED TO OUR 2 MI ORBIT. WE ATTEMPTED CONTACT ON 123.05 AND 123.02. THE GOVT HELI EVENTUALLY ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNANNOUNCED FORMATION ON OUR ACFT WITHOUT FIRST ESTABLISHING 2-WAY COM ACCORDING TO FAR SECTION 91. ATC ADVISES WE NEVER ENTERED BRAVO AIRSPACE. WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE THROUGHOUT RESPECTIVE AGENCIES.
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.