Narrative:

I had just completed 1 hour of air work for my BFR with a flight instructor in the right seat of the aircraft and I had flown back to north perry airport to do 3 lndgs. The wind was out of 210 degrees at 11 KTS. I was cleared by the tower to do a touch-and-go on runway 18R and advised that a helicopter was just off the right side of the runway hovering above the grass and that the helicopter would remain there. I acknowledged that information and set up my approach. I saw the helicopter; but didn't think it would affect me; so I used a normal approach. I had 30 degrees flaps set; came over the threshold and just as I was about over the numbers; the rotor downwash from the helicopter hit the airplane and in a split second the aircraft was rolling to the left. I immediately put in right aileron; rudder and full throttle as the plane flew over the grass on the left side of the runway. Simultaneously; the flight instructor did the same thing; grabbing the controls; even though I had made all the same corrections. As the aircraft started to climb; the instructor said; 'I've got the controls. I've got the controls.' so I released the controls to him. I advised the tower I was going around; informed the controller that the helicopter's rotor downwash was blowing across the threshold; and then the instructor gave the controls back to me after about 10 seconds. I climbed out on runway heading over the grass. I asked the tower if I could change to runway 18L; but was told; 'not at this time.' I flew around the pattern; this time determining to land long; but it wasn't necessary because while on base leg the controller told me to extend my base for runway 18L. I did 3 lndgs and exited the runway. This situation happened for several reasons. Although I had read about wingtip wake vortices and rotor blade downwash; I had never actually experienced either phenomena; so I didn't consider that the rotor downwash would hit the aircraft. I should have stayed high on final and landed long; well past the helicopter. The controller should not have allowed the helicopter to hover so close to the runway. Also; the crosswind contributed by blowing the already strong rotor downwash directly over the threshold of the runway. Ultimately; as PIC; it was my error and I have learned a valuable lesson. Fortunately; the outcome was positive and I used it as a real-life classroom learning experience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 EXECUTES A GAR AT HWO AFTER ENCOUNTERING DOWNWASH FROM A HELI.

Narrative: I HAD JUST COMPLETED 1 HR OF AIR WORK FOR MY BFR WITH A FLT INSTRUCTOR IN THE R SEAT OF THE ACFT AND I HAD FLOWN BACK TO NORTH PERRY ARPT TO DO 3 LNDGS. THE WIND WAS OUT OF 210 DEGS AT 11 KTS. I WAS CLRED BY THE TWR TO DO A TOUCH-AND-GO ON RWY 18R AND ADVISED THAT A HELI WAS JUST OFF THE R SIDE OF THE RWY HOVERING ABOVE THE GRASS AND THAT THE HELI WOULD REMAIN THERE. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT INFO AND SET UP MY APCH. I SAW THE HELI; BUT DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD AFFECT ME; SO I USED A NORMAL APCH. I HAD 30 DEGS FLAPS SET; CAME OVER THE THRESHOLD AND JUST AS I WAS ABOUT OVER THE NUMBERS; THE ROTOR DOWNWASH FROM THE HELI HIT THE AIRPLANE AND IN A SPLIT SECOND THE ACFT WAS ROLLING TO THE L. I IMMEDIATELY PUT IN R AILERON; RUDDER AND FULL THROTTLE AS THE PLANE FLEW OVER THE GRASS ON THE L SIDE OF THE RWY. SIMULTANEOUSLY; THE FLT INSTRUCTOR DID THE SAME THING; GRABBING THE CTLS; EVEN THOUGH I HAD MADE ALL THE SAME CORRECTIONS. AS THE ACFT STARTED TO CLB; THE INSTRUCTOR SAID; 'I'VE GOT THE CTLS. I'VE GOT THE CTLS.' SO I RELEASED THE CTLS TO HIM. I ADVISED THE TWR I WAS GOING AROUND; INFORMED THE CTLR THAT THE HELI'S ROTOR DOWNWASH WAS BLOWING ACROSS THE THRESHOLD; AND THEN THE INSTRUCTOR GAVE THE CTLS BACK TO ME AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS. I CLBED OUT ON RWY HDG OVER THE GRASS. I ASKED THE TWR IF I COULD CHANGE TO RWY 18L; BUT WAS TOLD; 'NOT AT THIS TIME.' I FLEW AROUND THE PATTERN; THIS TIME DETERMINING TO LAND LONG; BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARY BECAUSE WHILE ON BASE LEG THE CTLR TOLD ME TO EXTEND MY BASE FOR RWY 18L. I DID 3 LNDGS AND EXITED THE RWY. THIS SITUATION HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL REASONS. ALTHOUGH I HAD READ ABOUT WINGTIP WAKE VORTICES AND ROTOR BLADE DOWNWASH; I HAD NEVER ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED EITHER PHENOMENA; SO I DIDN'T CONSIDER THAT THE ROTOR DOWNWASH WOULD HIT THE ACFT. I SHOULD HAVE STAYED HIGH ON FINAL AND LANDED LONG; WELL PAST THE HELI. THE CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE HELI TO HOVER SO CLOSE TO THE RWY. ALSO; THE XWIND CONTRIBUTED BY BLOWING THE ALREADY STRONG ROTOR DOWNWASH DIRECTLY OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE RWY. ULTIMATELY; AS PIC; IT WAS MY ERROR AND I HAVE LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON. FORTUNATELY; THE OUTCOME WAS POSITIVE AND I USED IT AS A REAL-LIFE CLASSROOM LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.