Close proximity GA-small aircraft GA-helicopter in sight-seeing pattern around niagara falls.

Attributes
ACN	121043
Time
Date	198908
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : buf
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2100
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	121043
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Received radar vectors to 2500' on IFR flight plan to reach VFR conditions for a circuit around niagara falls (sightseeing). Marginal VFR at 2500' so I descended to 2000' MSL for reasonably good VFR conditions. Buf approach turned me over to 122.75 multicom for air to air advisories/announcements while in the circuit. Activity in the circuit consisted of 2 or 3 helicopter's and 2 small aircraft's, all around 2000' MSL except 1 helicopter which suddenly appeared in my 2 O'clock position rising toward 2000', just about 300' from my aircraft when first sighted. Contributing factor: my unfamiliarity with the area in navigating the circuit, helicopter's rising up into the circuit (as opposed to staying lower and climbing up outside of the circuit), and marginal WX, which had many aircraft crowded around 2000' MSL.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA-SMA GA-HELICOPTER IN SIGHT-SEEING PATTERN AROUND NIAGARA FALLS.

Narrative: RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TO 2500' ON IFR FLT PLAN TO REACH VFR CONDITIONS FOR A CIRCUIT AROUND NIAGARA FALLS (SIGHTSEEING). MARGINAL VFR AT 2500' SO I DSNDED TO 2000' MSL FOR REASONABLY GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. BUF APCH TURNED ME OVER TO 122.75 MULTICOM FOR AIR TO AIR ADVISORIES/ANNOUNCEMENTS WHILE IN THE CIRCUIT. ACTIVITY IN THE CIRCUIT CONSISTED OF 2 OR 3 HELI'S AND 2 SMA'S, ALL AROUND 2000' MSL EXCEPT 1 HELI WHICH SUDDENLY APPEARED IN MY 2 O'CLOCK POS RISING TOWARD 2000', JUST ABOUT 300' FROM MY ACFT WHEN FIRST SIGHTED. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA IN NAVIGATING THE CIRCUIT, HELI'S RISING UP INTO THE CIRCUIT (AS OPPOSED TO STAYING LOWER AND CLBING UP OUTSIDE OF THE CIRCUIT), AND MARGINAL WX, WHICH HAD MANY ACFT CROWDED AROUND 2000' MSL.

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.