Close proximity government-helicopter and military-helicopter in san TCA.

Attributes
ACN	129384
Time
Date	198911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : nzy airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : san tower : nzy
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	129384
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

I was at the controls in the left seat, my copilot in the right seat, and our flight mechanic was in the back. We were at 300' AGL proceeding through the channel and talking to NAS north island tower. As we crossed the extended centerline of runway 29 at north island, the tower told us that there was 'no reported traffic between us and lindbergh field,' and gave us a frequency change to lindbergh tower. My copilot contacted lindbergh tower and reported that we were approaching the twin hangars at north island on a channel arrival. The tower cleared us to enter the san TCA for landing at the coast guard ramp. As I was preparing to commence a left-hand turn to land at the air station ramp, I observed a helicopter pass down my left side, almost directly under me, at 200' AGL. I was heading 080 degrees, and I estimate his heading to be 260 degrees. I climbed to 400' AGL, but by that time he had already passed and continued out the channel. The flight mechanic in the back saw the aircraft at the same time I did. The copilot never saw him. The copilot called lindbergh tower and reported the incident, and asked if they were talking to the other helicopter. The tower informed us that they were not talking to any other aircraft and did not have anyone else visually. Changed to north island tower and informed them of what had happened, and asked if they were talking to the other helicopter . The tower controller stated that he had been talking to the other helicopter making a bay arrival to land at north island, but 'didn't think he would get there that quickly' to be a factor for us. I informed my fso of the incident and gave him all the information he needed to file a near midair collision report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GOV-HELICOPTER AND MIL-HELICOPTER IN SAN TCA.

Narrative: I WAS AT THE CONTROLS IN THE LEFT SEAT, MY COPLT IN THE RIGHT SEAT, AND OUR FLT MECH WAS IN THE BACK. WE WERE AT 300' AGL PROCEEDING THROUGH THE CHANNEL AND TALKING TO NAS N ISLAND TWR. AS WE CROSSED THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RWY 29 AT N ISLAND, THE TWR TOLD US THAT THERE WAS 'NO RPTED TFC BTWN US AND LINDBERGH FIELD,' AND GAVE US A FREQ CHANGE TO LINDBERGH TWR. MY COPLT CONTACTED LINDBERGH TWR AND RPTED THAT WE WERE APCHING THE TWIN HANGARS AT N ISLAND ON A CHANNEL ARR. THE TWR CLRED US TO ENTER THE SAN TCA FOR LNDG AT THE COAST GUARD RAMP. AS I WAS PREPARING TO COMMENCE A LEFT-HAND TURN TO LAND AT THE AIR STATION RAMP, I OBSERVED A HELI PASS DOWN MY LEFT SIDE, ALMOST DIRECTLY UNDER ME, AT 200' AGL. I WAS HDG 080 DEGS, AND I ESTIMATE HIS HDG TO BE 260 DEGS. I CLBED TO 400' AGL, BUT BY THAT TIME HE HAD ALREADY PASSED AND CONTINUED OUT THE CHANNEL. THE FLT MECH IN THE BACK SAW THE ACFT AT THE SAME TIME I DID. THE COPLT NEVER SAW HIM. THE COPLT CALLED LINDBERGH TWR AND RPTED THE INCIDENT, AND ASKED IF THEY WERE TALKING TO THE OTHER HELI. THE TWR INFORMED US THAT THEY WERE NOT TALKING TO ANY OTHER ACFT AND DID NOT HAVE ANYONE ELSE VISUALLY. CHANGED TO N ISLAND TWR AND INFORMED THEM OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND ASKED IF THEY WERE TALKING TO THE OTHER HELI . THE TWR CTLR STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN TALKING TO THE OTHER HELI MAKING A BAY ARR TO LAND AT N ISLAND, BUT 'DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD GET THERE THAT QUICKLY' TO BE A FACTOR FOR US. I INFORMED MY FSO OF THE INCIDENT AND GAVE HIM ALL THE INFO HE NEEDED TO FILE A NMAC RPT.

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.