Narrative:

Helicopter X was traveling from 10 southwest of roanoke airport to about 15 northeast. His route of flight took him over the roanoke airport at an altitude of 2000' MSL (field ele 1175). I was working the approach control radar position. I called the tower, local control for approval for the helicopter X to come overhead the airport. The tower approval that request, no restrs. As the helicopter was overhead the airport he reported to me that he had to take evasive action to miss small aircraft Y that was head on, less than 300' in front of him. I called the tower and he informed me that the traffic was an small aircraft Y in the traffic pattern. No mention of the traffic was made before that time. Small aircraft Y apparently misunderstood instructions from the local controller on avoiding helicopter X, I think this may have been avoided by more advance planning on both the local controller and the approach controller. If the local controller has traffic, he should have asked to work the helicopter or had the approach controller rerte the helicopter away from the traffic pattern. The small aircraft Y pilot was a student and was easily confused with the avoidance instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA Y FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS. NMAC WITH HELICOPTER X. PLTDEV.

Narrative: HELI X WAS TRAVELING FROM 10 SW OF ROANOKE ARPT TO ABOUT 15 NE. HIS RTE OF FLT TOOK HIM OVER THE ROANOKE ARPT AT AN ALT OF 2000' MSL (FIELD ELE 1175). I WAS WORKING THE APCH CTL RADAR POS. I CALLED THE TWR, LCL CTL FOR APPROVAL FOR THE HELI X TO COME OVERHEAD THE ARPT. THE TWR APPROVAL THAT REQUEST, NO RESTRS. AS THE HELI WAS OVERHEAD THE ARPT HE RPTED TO ME THAT HE HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS SMA Y THAT WAS HEAD ON, LESS THAN 300' IN FRONT OF HIM. I CALLED THE TWR AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE TFC WAS AN SMA Y IN THE TFC PATTERN. NO MENTION OF THE TFC WAS MADE BEFORE THAT TIME. SMA Y APPARENTLY MISUNDERSTOOD INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE LCL CTLR ON AVOIDING HELI X, I THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY MORE ADVANCE PLANNING ON BOTH THE LCL CTLR AND THE APCH CTLR. IF THE LCL CTLR HAS TFC, HE SHOULD HAVE ASKED TO WORK THE HELI OR HAD THE APCH CTLR RERTE THE HELI AWAY FROM THE TFC PATTERN. THE SMA Y PLT WAS A STUDENT AND WAS EASILY CONFUSED WITH THE AVOIDANCE INSTRUCTIONS.

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.