Narrative:

On mon/may/90 while on an IFR approach to I14, I had broken out of a layer at approximately 1800' MSL. I had previously heard another aircraft trying to approach the airport and since I had the runway in sight elected to cancel my IFR. Upon receiving the cancellation from approach they advised me of a target south of the airport. Cleared to leave the frequency and announcing my position on the unicom frequency another aircraft, a helicopter on a training mission, reported the winds and his intent to use runway 3. At this time I was on a 2 mi final on the localizer 21 approach. In the interest of safety I then elected to discontinue the approach and proceed on a left downwind for runway 3, at which time I requested the helicopter to report his position in the pattern but to no avail. Now I was at about 900' MSL on a base turn and the last known position of the helicopter was 2 mi south for a straight-in landing. Turning base to final I finally saw the aircraft in a slow hover just to the right of runway 3 on the approach end. To avoid a midair collision I added full power and made a 270 degree turn over a residential area which is located approximately 2000 yards from the approach end of runway 3. This involved about 50 degrees of bank to avoid the trees and houses that are situated in this area. In addition to this it was impossible to gain altitude to remain 500' over this area. In my opinion with the WX being marginal VFR at best, it is imperative that all aircraft participate in communication in the airport pattern and announce position as well as intent. This action I believe could have been avoided if this practice would have been followed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC

Narrative: ON MON/MAY/90 WHILE ON AN IFR APCH TO I14, I HAD BROKEN OUT OF A LAYER AT APPROX 1800' MSL. I HAD PREVIOUSLY HEARD ANOTHER ACFT TRYING TO APCH THE ARPT AND SINCE I HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT ELECTED TO CANCEL MY IFR. UPON RECEIVING THE CANCELLATION FROM APCH THEY ADVISED ME OF A TARGET S OF THE ARPT. CLRED TO LEAVE THE FREQ AND ANNOUNCING MY POS ON THE UNICOM FREQ ANOTHER ACFT, A HELI ON A TRNING MISSION, RPTED THE WINDS AND HIS INTENT TO USE RWY 3. AT THIS TIME I WAS ON A 2 MI FINAL ON THE LOC 21 APCH. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY I THEN ELECTED TO DISCONTINUE THE APCH AND PROCEED ON A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 3, AT WHICH TIME I REQUESTED THE HELI TO RPT HIS POS IN THE PATTERN BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOW I WAS AT ABOUT 900' MSL ON A BASE TURN AND THE LAST KNOWN POS OF THE HELI WAS 2 MI S FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LNDG. TURNING BASE TO FINAL I FINALLY SAW THE ACFT IN A SLOW HOVER JUST TO THE RIGHT OF RWY 3 ON THE APCH END. TO AVOID A MIDAIR COLLISION I ADDED FULL PWR AND MADE A 270 DEG TURN OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHICH IS LOCATED APPROX 2000 YARDS FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 3. THIS INVOLVED ABOUT 50 DEGS OF BANK TO AVOID THE TREES AND HOUSES THAT ARE SITUATED IN THIS AREA. IN ADDITION TO THIS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO GAIN ALT TO REMAIN 500' OVER THIS AREA. IN MY OPINION WITH THE WX BEING MARGINAL VFR AT BEST, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL ACFT PARTICIPATE IN COM IN THE ARPT PATTERN AND ANNOUNCE POS AS WELL AS INTENT. THIS ACTION I BELIEVE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THIS PRACTICE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.

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.