Narrative:

Landing runway 8, dxr: introduction to IFR procedure turns/ holding pattern at carmel VOR, then direct danbury. ATIS win 170 degrees at 7 KTS. 'Cleared to land on the #south runway 8; remain west of runway 17.' keeping speed at 90 KTS to simulate practice landing in congested conditions, entered steep descent, reduced speed, but too high and fast to land on the #south. Entered a tight left 360 degree turn over end of runway 8 to stay well clear of runway 17 and lose altitude. Tower said, 'sell you making a 360 to lose altitude; cleared to land, taxi to ramp...' the decision to make the turn should have been communicated to the tower immediately, and reflects a lack of experience in a tower controled environment. The high/speed approach should be practiced on familiar ground until required techniques are well refined. Noise abatement on departure: requested a departure into the wind with right turnout to landmark. 'Cleared to takeoff from taxiway remaining west of runway 17.' best route appeared to be toward a saddle between 2 hills to achieve maximum ground clearance. During departure this path was seen to be over a residential area which should be avoided for noise abatement and safety considerations. A more considerate flight path would use standard runway routing when departing danbury under these conditions, regardless of helicopter capabilities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HELICOPTER ON INS TRAINING FLT DOES UNAUTH 360 DEGREE TURN TO LOSE ALT ON FINAL. THEN, ON SUBSEQUENT TKOF, FAILS TO FOLLOW NOISE ABATEMENT PROC FOR ARPT.

Narrative: LNDG RWY 8, DXR: INTRODUCTION TO IFR PROC TURNS/ HOLDING PATTERN AT CARMEL VOR, THEN DIRECT DANBURY. ATIS WIN 170 DEGS AT 7 KTS. 'CLRED TO LAND ON THE #S RWY 8; REMAIN W OF RWY 17.' KEEPING SPD AT 90 KTS TO SIMULATE PRACTICE LNDG IN CONGESTED CONDITIONS, ENTERED STEEP DSNT, REDUCED SPD, BUT TOO HIGH AND FAST TO LAND ON THE #S. ENTERED A TIGHT LEFT 360 DEG TURN OVER END OF RWY 8 TO STAY WELL CLR OF RWY 17 AND LOSE ALT. TWR SAID, 'SELL YOU MAKING A 360 TO LOSE ALT; CLRED TO LAND, TAXI TO RAMP...' THE DECISION TO MAKE THE TURN SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE TWR IMMEDIATELY, AND REFLECTS A LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN A TWR CTLED ENVIRONMENT. THE HIGH/SPD APCH SHOULD BE PRACTICED ON FAMILIAR GND UNTIL REQUIRED TECHNIQUES ARE WELL REFINED. NOISE ABATEMENT ON DEP: REQUESTED A DEP INTO THE WIND WITH RIGHT TURNOUT TO LANDMARK. 'CLRED TO TKOF FROM TXWY REMAINING W OF RWY 17.' BEST RTE APPEARED TO BE TOWARD A SADDLE BTWN 2 HILLS TO ACHIEVE MAX GND CLRNC. DURING DEP THIS PATH WAS SEEN TO BE OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHICH SHOULD BE AVOIDED FOR NOISE ABATEMENT AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS. A MORE CONSIDERATE FLT PATH WOULD USE STANDARD RWY RTING WHEN DEPARTING DANBURY UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, REGARDLESS OF HELI CAPABILITIES.

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.