Narrative:

We were completing a VFR tour and approaching kahului (maui, hi) airport from the east at the recommended wbound altitude of 1000 ft MSL. At approximately 12 mi from the airport we contacted maui approach on 119.5 and then had us switch to 120.2. At approximately 11 mi from the airport maui approach (120.2) advised us of helicopter traffic at 1 O'clock and said that it was headed back to the hat. We started a climb to pattern altitude of 1500 ft MSL/AGL and maui approach advised us that the helicopter was now at 11 O'clock. We then sighted the helicopter approximately 1.5 mi ahead of us and flew toward it under the assumption that it was heading back to the hat as we had been advised. At about 3/4 mi we realized that the helicopter was actually in a climbing right turn and was headed directly toward us at our altitude. We veered moderately hard to the right to avoid the helicopter and it passed about 200 ft off to our left. Approach control then switched us to the tower and we landed uneventfully. We spoke to the pilot of helicopter and also heard him verify with the tower that he was cleared to orbit hookipa (which is in the general vicinity of the eastern approach to the right downwind from runway 02 at kahului). The helicopter was talking to the tower and neither he nor the tower appeared to be aware that we were inbound to the pattern. Maui approach control was not aware that the helicopter was orbiting hookipa and had instead advised us that he was inbound to the hat. Ways that I can see to avoid further such incidents: 1) better communication between maui approach and maui tower. (This may be hampered by the fact that the facs are no longer located together.) 2) not clearing helicopter's to orbit areas that are in or near the inbound approachs to the traffic pattern (or at least have them orbit at a lower or higher altitude. 3) I, myself, will stay offshore longer before turning in to enter the pattern, try to contact maui approach when I'm much further out, and will also slow the aircraft when I'm much further out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIGHTSEEING MDT AND HELICOPTER HAVE NMAC.

Narrative: WE WERE COMPLETING A VFR TOUR AND APCHING KAHULUI (MAUI, HI) ARPT FROM THE E AT THE RECOMMENDED WBOUND ALT OF 1000 FT MSL. AT APPROX 12 MI FROM THE ARPT WE CONTACTED MAUI APCH ON 119.5 AND THEN HAD US SWITCH TO 120.2. AT APPROX 11 MI FROM THE ARPT MAUI APCH (120.2) ADVISED US OF HELI TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK AND SAID THAT IT WAS HEADED BACK TO THE HAT. WE STARTED A CLB TO PATTERN ALT OF 1500 FT MSL/AGL AND MAUI APCH ADVISED US THAT THE HELI WAS NOW AT 11 O'CLOCK. WE THEN SIGHTED THE HELI APPROX 1.5 MI AHEAD OF US AND FLEW TOWARD IT UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS HDG BACK TO THE HAT AS WE HAD BEEN ADVISED. AT ABOUT 3/4 MI WE REALIZED THAT THE HELI WAS ACTUALLY IN A CLBING R TURN AND WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TOWARD US AT OUR ALT. WE VEERED MODERATELY HARD TO THE R TO AVOID THE HELI AND IT PASSED ABOUT 200 FT OFF TO OUR L. APCH CTL THEN SWITCHED US TO THE TWR AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. WE SPOKE TO THE PLT OF HELI AND ALSO HEARD HIM VERIFY WITH THE TWR THAT HE WAS CLRED TO ORBIT HOOKIPA (WHICH IS IN THE GENERAL VICINITY OF THE EASTERN APCH TO THE RIGHT DOWNWIND FROM RWY 02 AT KAHULUI). THE HELI WAS TALKING TO THE TWR AND NEITHER HE NOR THE TWR APPEARED TO BE AWARE THAT WE WERE INBND TO THE PATTERN. MAUI APCH CTL WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE HELI WAS ORBITING HOOKIPA AND HAD INSTEAD ADVISED US THAT HE WAS INBND TO THE HAT. WAYS THAT I CAN SEE TO AVOID FURTHER SUCH INCIDENTS: 1) BETTER COM BTWN MAUI APCH AND MAUI TWR. (THIS MAY BE HAMPERED BY THE FACT THAT THE FACS ARE NO LONGER LOCATED TOGETHER.) 2) NOT CLRING HELI'S TO ORBIT AREAS THAT ARE IN OR NEAR THE INBND APCHS TO THE TFC PATTERN (OR AT LEAST HAVE THEM ORBIT AT A LOWER OR HIGHER ALT. 3) I, MYSELF, WILL STAY OFFSHORE LONGER BEFORE TURNING IN TO ENTER THE PATTERN, TRY TO CONTACT MAUI APCH WHEN I'M MUCH FURTHER OUT, AND WILL ALSO SLOW THE ACFT WHEN I'M MUCH FURTHER OUT.

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