Narrative:

I departed hospital located northeast of airport. I had monitored CTAF and heard an aircraft turning downwind for runway 31 and also an aircraft taxi to that runway. I observed the aircraft in the pattern. I announced my intention to depart to the southwest and that I had the downwind aircraft in sight. My departure path would take me over the approach end of runway 31. I stayed low and adjusted my flight route to pass below and to the rear of the aircraft in the downwind. I stated these intentions on CTAF. Approximately 10-15 seconds later I called clear of the downwind aircraft. When I was about 5 mi southwest of the airport, I heard an aircraft report that an aircraft had just landed gear up on runway 31. I do not know if my transition near the airport distracted the pilot of the fixed wing from his checklist or if he had maintenance problems. If my presence was a distraction, perhaps an additional check on short final such as 1) propellers -- as required. 2) gear -- rechk down, be included in checklists. I believe the other aircraft was an older single engine piper, ie, commanche.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW LEVEL EMS HELI DEP FROM NEAR A NON TWR ARPT. HEARS OF AN SMA MAKING A GEAR UP LNDG. BELIEVES THAT HIS DEP PROC MAY HAVE DISTRACTED THAT PLT AND CREATED THE INCIDENT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED HOSPITAL LOCATED NE OF ARPT. I HAD MONITORED CTAF AND HEARD AN ACFT TURNING DOWNWIND FOR RWY 31 AND ALSO AN ACFT TAXI TO THAT RWY. I OBSERVED THE ACFT IN THE PATTERN. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO DEPART TO THE SW AND THAT I HAD THE DOWNWIND ACFT IN SIGHT. MY DEP PATH WOULD TAKE ME OVER THE APCH END OF RWY 31. I STAYED LOW AND ADJUSTED MY FLT RTE TO PASS BELOW AND TO THE REAR OF THE ACFT IN THE DOWNWIND. I STATED THESE INTENTIONS ON CTAF. APPROX 10-15 SECONDS LATER I CALLED CLR OF THE DOWNWIND ACFT. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT, I HEARD AN ACFT RPT THAT AN ACFT HAD JUST LANDED GEAR UP ON RWY 31. I DO NOT KNOW IF MY TRANSITION NEAR THE ARPT DISTRACTED THE PLT OF THE FIXED WING FROM HIS CHKLIST OR IF HE HAD MAINT PROBS. IF MY PRESENCE WAS A DISTR, PERHAPS AN ADDITIONAL CHK ON SHORT FINAL SUCH AS 1) PROPS -- AS REQUIRED. 2) GEAR -- RECHK DOWN, BE INCLUDED IN CHKLISTS. I BELIEVE THE OTHER ACFT WAS AN OLDER SINGLE ENG PIPER, IE, COMMANCHE.

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.