C185F has conflict with a traffic watch B206 helicopter whose pilot is solo with no observer.

Attributes
ACN	353828
Time
Date	199611
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den airport : apa
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 6700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : apa
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Skywagon 185
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Jet/Long Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	353828
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departed runway 17L at apa en route to bjc in C185F. Proceeded on a nearly direct route and climbed slowly to 6700 ft MSL following I-25 north on east side of highway. South of metropolitan/downtown area of denver, observed black helicopter at my 12 O'clock position closing, turned on landing lights, and maneuvered to right, then back to left to keep aircraft in sight. B206 continued with no change in direction until near abeam 1/3 mi. B206 finally saw me and maneuvered via right turn. B206 was initially spotted at 1500 ft and 200 ft low. Appeared to be in slow climb. B206 was idented as radio and tv 'traffic watch.' it was later revealed pilot of B206, solo was conducting live broadcast and obviously looking down at highway traffic and not observing air traffic. Pilot of B206 admitted he once used an observer to assist in broadcast, but no longer does! He flies B206, looks for air traffic and conducts tv and numerous radio stations. The B206 pilot sees himself as a local celebrity media type and seeks the limelight! His failure to utilize another pilot/observer is the cause of this near midair collision. This near midair collision occurred at 1300-1700 ft AGL (estimate), below class B, C185 on apa tower frequency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C185F HAS CONFLICT WITH A TFC WATCH B206 HELI WHOSE PLT IS SOLO WITH NO OBSERVER.

Narrative: DEPARTED RWY 17L AT APA ENRTE TO BJC IN C185F. PROCEEDED ON A NEARLY DIRECT RTE AND CLBED SLOWLY TO 6700 FT MSL FOLLOWING I-25 N ON E SIDE OF HWY. S OF METRO/DOWNTOWN AREA OF DENVER, OBSERVED BLACK HELI AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS CLOSING, TURNED ON LNDG LIGHTS, AND MANEUVERED TO R, THEN BACK TO L TO KEEP ACFT IN SIGHT. B206 CONTINUED WITH NO CHANGE IN DIRECTION UNTIL NEAR ABEAM 1/3 MI. B206 FINALLY SAW ME AND MANEUVERED VIA R TURN. B206 WAS INITIALLY SPOTTED AT 1500 FT AND 200 FT LOW. APPEARED TO BE IN SLOW CLB. B206 WAS IDENTED AS RADIO AND TV 'TFC WATCH.' IT WAS LATER REVEALED PLT OF B206, SOLO WAS CONDUCTING LIVE BROADCAST AND OBVIOUSLY LOOKING DOWN AT HWY TFC AND NOT OBSERVING AIR TFC. PLT OF B206 ADMITTED HE ONCE USED AN OBSERVER TO ASSIST IN BROADCAST, BUT NO LONGER DOES! HE FLIES B206, LOOKS FOR AIR TFC AND CONDUCTS TV AND NUMEROUS RADIO STATIONS. THE B206 PLT SEES HIMSELF AS A LCL CELEBRITY MEDIA TYPE AND SEEKS THE LIMELIGHT! HIS FAILURE TO UTILIZE ANOTHER PLT/OBSERVER IS THE CAUSE OF THIS NMAC. THIS NMAC OCCURRED AT 1300-1700 FT AGL (ESTIMATE), BELOW CLASS B, C185 ON APA TWR FREQ.

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.