A helicopter pilot on a night vision training flight detected a uas within 75 feet of his aircraft. ...

Attributes
ACN	1249167
Time
Date	201503
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40 Flight Crew Total 2684 Flight Crew Type 1777
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC Deviation - Procedural FAR
Miss Distance	Horizontal 75 Vertical 0

Narrative:

Several hours after sunset; I was operating a helicopter on an nvg currency training flight. On initial approach to my destination airport at approximately 5.2 NM east of the airport; I observed an uas operating at my altitude and within 100 feet of my aircraft. The uas had led red and blue lighting which was invisible under nvg and was only noticed when it passed into my peripheral vision. I took immediate evasive action by turning away and climbing in altitude. I attempted to locate the operator of the uas and had local police patrol unit respond to the area to assist but we were unable to locate the operator. After my initial evasive action; the operator dropped the uas toward the ground and extinguished its lighting system. After about 5 minutes; the uas was once again observed at my altitude and with its lighting system on. The operator was still unable to be located and contacted. The incident was documented in a police incident report and the control tower was contacted the following day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A helicopter pilot on a night vision training flight detected a UAS within 75 feet of his aircraft. The UAS operator turn its lights off but as the helicopter was searching the UAS returned for a second brazen encounter.

Narrative: Several hours after sunset; I was operating a helicopter on an NVG currency training flight. On initial approach to my destination airport at approximately 5.2 NM east of the airport; I observed an UAS operating at my altitude and within 100 feet of my aircraft. The UAS had LED red and blue lighting which was invisible under NVG and was only noticed when it passed into my peripheral vision. I took immediate evasive action by turning away and climbing in altitude. I attempted to locate the operator of the UAS and had local police patrol unit respond to the area to assist but we were unable to locate the operator. After my initial evasive action; the operator dropped the UAS toward the ground and extinguished its lighting system. After about 5 minutes; the UAS was once again observed at my altitude and with its lighting system on. The operator was still unable to be located and contacted. The incident was documented in a Police incident report and the control tower was contacted the following day.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

A helicopter pilot on a night vision training flight detected a uas within 75 feet of his aircraft. The uas operator turn its lights off but as the helicopter was searching the uas returned for a second brazen encounter.