Close proximity 2 GA helicopters at low altitude northwest of cgx.

Attributes
ACN	122459
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cgx
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cgx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 96 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	122459
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was returning from ord to our company heliport facility, which is located approximately 1.5 NM northwest of meigs airfield. 6 NM northwest of meigs, I requested permission to land at the company facility. I was cleared to enter the air traffic area, and due to our location, tower did not see traffic to be a problem. I was about 1/2 mi northwest of our facility when just below me, at about 200', passed another helicopter. He was in a right turn and we passed within 200-300' of each other. I called the tower and asked about other helicopter. The tower called helicopter, 'state your position.' the pilot stated he was the pilot of the helicopter, and apologized for not informing the tower of his position change. He had told the tower earlier he was going to be doing photo work in another area. I felt it to be virtually impossible to have been able to see the aircraft, which appeared not to have any lights on, at such a low altitude against the bright ground lights of the city. Until now I had no idea how hard it is to see an aircraft below the horizon at night, below 500' against the bright city lights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 GA HELICOPTERS AT LOW ALT NW OF CGX.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING FROM ORD TO OUR COMPANY HELIPORT FAC, WHICH IS LOCATED APPROX 1.5 NM NW OF MEIGS AIRFIELD. 6 NM NW OF MEIGS, I REQUESTED PERMISSION TO LAND AT THE COMPANY FAC. I WAS CLRED TO ENTER THE ATA, AND DUE TO OUR LOCATION, TWR DID NOT SEE TFC TO BE A PROB. I WAS ABOUT 1/2 MI NW OF OUR FAC WHEN JUST BELOW ME, AT ABOUT 200', PASSED ANOTHER HELI. HE WAS IN A RIGHT TURN AND WE PASSED WITHIN 200-300' OF EACH OTHER. I CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED ABOUT OTHER HELI. THE TWR CALLED HELI, 'STATE YOUR POS.' THE PLT STATED HE WAS THE PLT OF THE HELI, AND APOLOGIZED FOR NOT INFORMING THE TWR OF HIS POS CHANGE. HE HAD TOLD THE TWR EARLIER HE WAS GOING TO BE DOING PHOTO WORK IN ANOTHER AREA. I FELT IT TO BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE ACFT, WHICH APPEARED NOT TO HAVE ANY LIGHTS ON, AT SUCH A LOW ALT AGAINST THE BRIGHT GND LIGHTS OF THE CITY. UNTIL NOW I HAD NO IDEA HOW HARD IT IS TO SEE AN ACFT BELOW THE HORIZON AT NIGHT, BELOW 500' AGAINST THE BRIGHT CITY LIGHTS.

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.