Narrative:

I approached the pae class D airspace from the south for a passenger to view his property. 8 mi south of pae I radioed the tower with my intentions to approach from the south and maneuver 7 mi south of pae at 1500 ft. I was informed by the controller that I would be outside of the class D. I circled some property 7 mi south of pae several times and began to depart the area to the west. About 20 seconds later I saw a helicopter at my 9 O'clock position, at the same altitude on a collision course. I banked hard right and started a climb. A moment later the helicopter pilot saw me and deviated to his right to avoid the collision. We passed within 100 ft. I heard the helicopter pilot later ask the controller if she was aware of me. She said she was aware of an aircraft 7 mi to the south of pae. I then called the tower and informed the controller of my intentions to depart the area to the west. My GPS and the DME indicated I was 6 mi south of pae when the incident occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A C172 MANEUVERING AND CIRCLING OVER PVT PROPERTY JUST OUTSIDE OF CLASS D AIRSPACE AND A HELI TRANSITING THE AREA. BOTH ACFT TOOK EVASIVE R TURNS.

Narrative: I APCHED THE PAE CLASS D AIRSPACE FROM THE S FOR A PAX TO VIEW HIS PROPERTY. 8 MI S OF PAE I RADIOED THE TWR WITH MY INTENTIONS TO APCH FROM THE S AND MANEUVER 7 MI S OF PAE AT 1500 FT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE CTLR THAT I WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASS D. I CIRCLED SOME PROPERTY 7 MI S OF PAE SEVERAL TIMES AND BEGAN TO DEPART THE AREA TO THE W. ABOUT 20 SECONDS LATER I SAW A HELI AT MY 9 O'CLOCK POS, AT THE SAME ALT ON A COLLISION COURSE. I BANKED HARD R AND STARTED A CLB. A MOMENT LATER THE HELI PLT SAW ME AND DEVIATED TO HIS R TO AVOID THE COLLISION. WE PASSED WITHIN 100 FT. I HEARD THE HELI PLT LATER ASK THE CTLR IF SHE WAS AWARE OF ME. SHE SAID SHE WAS AWARE OF AN ACFT 7 MI TO THE S OF PAE. I THEN CALLED THE TWR AND INFORMED THE CTLR OF MY INTENTIONS TO DEPART THE AREA TO THE W. MY GPS AND THE DME INDICATED I WAS 6 MI S OF PAE WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.

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.