Narrative:

I was in a media helicopter covering a vehicle accident. I had been on scene for 45 mins when the tower informed me that another helicopter was inbound to the same area at 6000 ft. I replied looking for traffic. The tower then informed aircraft Y that I was on scene and aircraft Y replied with 'traffic in sight and maintain visual separation.' aircraft Y then contacted me on helicopter air-to-air frequency. I advised that I was on scene and at an altitude of 5500 ft and that they should come in at 6000 ft. I was initially unable to visually locate the other helicopter. After 2-3 mins I made visual contact with aircraft Y and observed him at approximately 75 yards off to my side and approximately 50 ft lower. We were both moving at roughly 30-40 KTS. I contacted aircraft Y on helicopter air-to-air and asked what their intentions were. I was advised that they would 'be chasing me around the scene at the same altitude.' I advised the pilot that I was uncomfortable with this and that normally on a scene the 2 local media helicopters stack with 500 ft of vertical separation and that it is first come; first served for the lower altitude. The pilot of aircraft Y informed that they only had a 'handheld camera on board their helicopter and had to be lower.' at this time the tower called and informed both of us that local law enforcement had asked us to leave the area due to the hazard. Aircraft Y promptly departed the area. This is the third incident for me with this aircraft in the last 5-6 months. They do occasional media work for the 2 local new stations that do not have helicopters. They communicate very little if at all with other aircraft in the area. This has become a major safety issue and; I believe if it continues; will result in injury. Multiple informal meetings with all helicopter operators in the local area present have been held to understand each other's operations and improve communication to all work safely together. This operator continues to show no effort to improve local safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEDIA HELICOPTER COVERING AN ACCIDENT EXPERIENCES AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER HELICOPTER ATTEMPTING TO COVER THE SAME VEHICLE ACCIDENT AT A CO-ALTITUDE.

Narrative: I WAS IN A MEDIA HELI COVERING A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. I HAD BEEN ON SCENE FOR 45 MINS WHEN THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT ANOTHER HELI WAS INBOUND TO THE SAME AREA AT 6000 FT. I REPLIED LOOKING FOR TFC. THE TWR THEN INFORMED ACFT Y THAT I WAS ON SCENE AND ACFT Y REPLIED WITH 'TFC IN SIGHT AND MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION.' ACFT Y THEN CONTACTED ME ON HELI AIR-TO-AIR FREQ. I ADVISED THAT I WAS ON SCENE AND AT AN ALT OF 5500 FT AND THAT THEY SHOULD COME IN AT 6000 FT. I WAS INITIALLY UNABLE TO VISUALLY LOCATE THE OTHER HELI. AFTER 2-3 MINS I MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH ACFT Y AND OBSERVED HIM AT APPROX 75 YARDS OFF TO MY SIDE AND APPROX 50 FT LOWER. WE WERE BOTH MOVING AT ROUGHLY 30-40 KTS. I CONTACTED ACFT Y ON HELI AIR-TO-AIR AND ASKED WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS WERE. I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD 'BE CHASING ME AROUND THE SCENE AT THE SAME ALT.' I ADVISED THE PLT THAT I WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND THAT NORMALLY ON A SCENE THE 2 LOCAL MEDIA HELIS STACK WITH 500 FT OF VERT SEPARATION AND THAT IT IS FIRST COME; FIRST SERVED FOR THE LOWER ALT. THE PLT OF ACFT Y INFORMED THAT THEY ONLY HAD A 'HANDHELD CAMERA ON BOARD THEIR HELI AND HAD TO BE LOWER.' AT THIS TIME THE TWR CALLED AND INFORMED BOTH OF US THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HAD ASKED US TO LEAVE THE AREA DUE TO THE HAZARD. ACFT Y PROMPTLY DEPARTED THE AREA. THIS IS THE THIRD INCIDENT FOR ME WITH THIS ACFT IN THE LAST 5-6 MONTHS. THEY DO OCCASIONAL MEDIA WORK FOR THE 2 LOCAL NEW STATIONS THAT DO NOT HAVE HELIS. THEY COMMUNICATE VERY LITTLE IF AT ALL WITH OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. THIS HAS BECOME A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND; I BELIEVE IF IT CONTINUES; WILL RESULT IN INJURY. MULTIPLE INFORMAL MEETINGS WITH ALL HELI OPERATORS IN THE LOCAL AREA PRESENT HAVE BEEN HELD TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S OPS AND IMPROVE COM TO ALL WORK SAFELY TOGETHER. THIS OPERATOR CONTINUES TO SHOW NO EFFORT TO IMPROVE LOCAL SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.