SK76 helicopter encounters near midair collision during offshore operations in ZHU airspace.

Attributes
ACN	415738
Time
Date	199809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lch
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	S-76/S-76 Mark II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	S-76/S-76 Mark II
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	415738
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were inbound to cameron, la, from hi 317 doing a crew change. My sic was the PF. About 1/2 way in during cruise flight, he initiated an abrupt climb. A few seconds later, I saw the S76 pass under us sebound. Both of us were at the correct altitude (3500 ft) us nnebound, them sebound. For all practical purposes, we operate in a non radar environment (even IFR until we're close to the beach). Although customs or dea, I'm sure, paint us on their radar, which doesn't do us or our passenger a bit of good. TCASII would have helped, maybe, although I'm under no illusion that technology is the complete solution. My sic saw the other aircraft with his eyes. We don't think they saw us. This is not a rare occurrence. Today a BH407 and an a- STAR/twinstar had a midair, resulting in the death of one of the pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SK76 HELI ENCOUNTERS NMAC DURING OFFSHORE OPS IN ZHU AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WE WERE INBOUND TO CAMERON, LA, FROM HI 317 DOING A CREW CHANGE. MY SIC WAS THE PF. ABOUT 1/2 WAY IN DURING CRUISE FLT, HE INITIATED AN ABRUPT CLB. A FEW SECONDS LATER, I SAW THE S76 PASS UNDER US SEBOUND. BOTH OF US WERE AT THE CORRECT ALT (3500 FT) US NNEBOUND, THEM SEBOUND. FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, WE OPERATE IN A NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT (EVEN IFR UNTIL WE'RE CLOSE TO THE BEACH). ALTHOUGH CUSTOMS OR DEA, I'M SURE, PAINT US ON THEIR RADAR, WHICH DOESN'T DO US OR OUR PAX A BIT OF GOOD. TCASII WOULD HAVE HELPED, MAYBE, ALTHOUGH I'M UNDER NO ILLUSION THAT TECHNOLOGY IS THE COMPLETE SOLUTION. MY SIC SAW THE OTHER ACFT WITH HIS EYES. WE DON'T THINK THEY SAW US. THIS IS NOT A RARE OCCURRENCE. TODAY A BH407 AND AN A- STAR/TWINSTAR HAD A MIDAIR, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF ONE OF THE PLTS.

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.