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|
Attributes | |
ACN | 140962 |
Time | |
Date | 199003 |
Day | Thu |
Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : vny |
State Reference | CA |
Altitude | agl bound lower : 980 agl bound upper : 980 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tower : vny |
Operator | general aviation : corporate |
Make Model Name | Helicopter |
Flight Phase | cruise other |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
Flight Phase | other other |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | Other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1500 |
ASRS Report | 140962 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | Other |
Function | observation : passenger observation : observer |
Events | |
Anomaly | non adherence : far other anomaly other |
Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
Resolutory Action | other |
Consequence | faa : investigated Other |
Supplementary | |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
While operating a corporate helicopter, small transport X, I observed an small aircraft Y, flying low over a densely populated area and shopping mall, within 300' to 500' AGL, at the above location. I know this because I was at 1800' MSL and my radar altimeter showed 980'. I observed the plane making wing overs and other quasi-aerobatic maneuvers. Van nuys tower asked if I could get his numbers, as did small aircraft Z, a police helicopter, when I reported this incident. I asked my passengers to help identify the plane as I approached from above and at the 7 O'clock position. I was using the sun to my advantage to illuminate the fuselage and he was already in a right bank when I approached. I flew along side, approximately 250' to 500' away and parallel to his course. The pilot of small aircraft Y tried to evade, so I didn't bother to try as hard as I could have to make a positive identification. I flew to lax, my destination, while broadcasting the information to vny tower and the police helicopter, small aircraft Z, which also pursued the airplane. The FAA, NASA (ASRS) and the aviation media needs to get the word out for pilots to fly responsibly. Pilots of single engine aircraft should ask themselves, 'if I have an engine failure, where am I going to put this thing down?' there is no substitute for common sense and flying by the book.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF CORPORATE HELICOPTER REQUESTED TO ATTEMPT INDENTIFICATION OF LOW FLYING SMA.
Narrative: WHILE OPERATING A CORPORATE HELI, SMT X, I OBSERVED AN SMA Y, FLYING LOW OVER A DENSELY POPULATED AREA AND SHOPPING MALL, WITHIN 300' TO 500' AGL, AT THE ABOVE LOCATION. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS AT 1800' MSL AND MY RADAR ALTIMETER SHOWED 980'. I OBSERVED THE PLANE MAKING WING OVERS AND OTHER QUASI-AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. VAN NUYS TWR ASKED IF I COULD GET HIS NUMBERS, AS DID SMA Z, A POLICE HELI, WHEN I RPTED THIS INCIDENT. I ASKED MY PAXS TO HELP IDENT THE PLANE AS I APCHED FROM ABOVE AND AT THE 7 O'CLOCK POS. I WAS USING THE SUN TO MY ADVANTAGE TO ILLUMINATE THE FUSELAGE AND HE WAS ALREADY IN A R BANK WHEN I APCHED. I FLEW ALONG SIDE, APPROX 250' TO 500' AWAY AND PARALLEL TO HIS COURSE. THE PLT OF SMA Y TRIED TO EVADE, SO I DIDN'T BOTHER TO TRY AS HARD AS I COULD HAVE TO MAKE A POSITIVE ID. I FLEW TO LAX, MY DEST, WHILE BROADCASTING THE INFO TO VNY TWR AND THE POLICE HELI, SMA Z, WHICH ALSO PURSUED THE AIRPLANE. THE FAA, NASA (ASRS) AND THE AVIATION MEDIA NEEDS TO GET THE WORD OUT FOR PLTS TO FLY RESPONSIBLY. PLTS OF SINGLE ENG ACFT SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES, 'IF I HAVE AN ENG FAILURE, WHERE AM I GOING TO PUT THIS THING DOWN?' THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR COMMON SENSE AND FLYING BY THE BOOK.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.