Close proximity GA small aircraft on dual cross country and helicopter.

Attributes
ACN	121636
Time
Date	198908
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sav
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sav
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 720 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	121636
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On dual cross country flight from charleston executive (jzi) to savannah (sav). Student was flying aircraft, navigating by radar vectors and pilotage, and communicating with sav (ATC) approach. I was instructing and observing. About 10-15 NM northeast of sav airport observed helicopter slightly above about 10 O'clock position from our aircraft, heading toward us directly. Unknown how close helicopter was horizontally. I took controls, pushed our aircraft down and was about 2400' when level again. Helicopter had passed overhead of us. Contacted approach and asked if they had called the traffic. Reply was that helicopter was level 3000' and we were supposed to be at 2500'. Informed ATC we were level 2700' and reply was that 'VFR altitudes were 500' above hard altitude'. This is only 50 above 3000', not below. Prior to this, we were in communication with beaufort approach (MCAS beaufort, sc), receiving stage 3. We checked in with beaufort at 2700' and were handed off to savannah at this altitude. From now on, I will instruct students to check in with approach during handoffs by saying their cruising altitude. This aircraft does not have mode C as yet.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA SMA ON DUAL CROSS COUNTRY AND HELICOPTER.

Narrative: ON DUAL CROSS COUNTRY FLT FROM CHARLESTON EXECUTIVE (JZI) TO SAVANNAH (SAV). STUDENT WAS FLYING ACFT, NAVIGATING BY RADAR VECTORS AND PILOTAGE, AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAV (ATC) APCH. I WAS INSTRUCTING AND OBSERVING. ABOUT 10-15 NM NE OF SAV ARPT OBSERVED HELI SLIGHTLY ABOVE ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK POSITION FROM OUR ACFT, HDG TOWARD US DIRECTLY. UNKNOWN HOW CLOSE HELI WAS HORIZONTALLY. I TOOK CONTROLS, PUSHED OUR ACFT DOWN AND WAS ABOUT 2400' WHEN LEVEL AGAIN. HELI HAD PASSED OVERHEAD OF US. CONTACTED APCH AND ASKED IF THEY HAD CALLED THE TFC. REPLY WAS THAT HELI WAS LEVEL 3000' AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 2500'. INFORMED ATC WE WERE LEVEL 2700' AND REPLY WAS THAT 'VFR ALTS WERE 500' ABOVE HARD ALT'. THIS IS ONLY 50 ABOVE 3000', NOT BELOW. PRIOR TO THIS, WE WERE IN COM WITH BEAUFORT APCH (MCAS BEAUFORT, SC), RECEIVING STAGE 3. WE CHECKED IN WITH BEAUFORT AT 2700' AND WERE HANDED OFF TO SAVANNAH AT THIS ALT. FROM NOW ON, I WILL INSTRUCT STUDENTS TO CHECK IN WITH APCH DURING HANDOFFS BY SAYING THEIR CRUISING ALT. THIS ACFT DOES NOT HAVE MODE C AS YET.

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.