Pilot of small aircraft on traffic watch had near midair collision with helicopter.

Attributes
ACN	184099
Time
Date	199107
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hvn
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 2400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bdl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	184099
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 250 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

3 mi after clearing the new haven air traffic area to the north, I started a turn back to the south (180 degree turn is made by doing 2 90 degree turns so that aircraft is always to the left of roads being observed). After first 90 degree turn, a helicopter came into view about the same time as we got level. Helicopter was soon passing in front of my aircraft about 200-300 ft away. No action was taken by either pilot. The helicopter's high speed would have made a collision impossible with the distance/flight path of both aircraft. Both pilot and traffic reporter were looking in the direction that the helicopter came from and saw nothing until both aircraft were close to one another. We were in an small aircraft with anti-collision and landing lights on. I assume the other pilot saw us first. The sky conditions were very hazy and as the helicopter moved away from us it just disappeared into the haze (it was a white and blue aircraft and I feel this made it more difficult to see). I can suggest nothing that would help other than painting aircraft with some special high visibility paint.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ON TFC WATCH HAD NMAC WITH HELI.

Narrative: 3 MI AFTER CLRING THE NEW HAVEN ATA TO THE N, I STARTED A TURN BACK TO THE S (180 DEG TURN IS MADE BY DOING 2 90 DEG TURNS SO THAT ACFT IS ALWAYS TO THE L OF ROADS BEING OBSERVED). AFTER FIRST 90 DEG TURN, A HELI CAME INTO VIEW ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS WE GOT LEVEL. HELI WAS SOON PASSING IN FRONT OF MY ACFT ABOUT 200-300 FT AWAY. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN BY EITHER PLT. THE HELI'S HIGH SPEED WOULD HAVE MADE A COLLISION IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE DISTANCE/FLT PATH OF BOTH ACFT. BOTH PLT AND TFC RPTR WERE LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE HELI CAME FROM AND SAW NOTHING UNTIL BOTH ACFT WERE CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. WE WERE IN AN SMA WITH ANTI-COLLISION AND LNDG LIGHTS ON. I ASSUME THE OTHER PLT SAW US FIRST. THE SKY CONDITIONS WERE VERY HAZY AND AS THE HELI MOVED AWAY FROM US IT JUST DISAPPEARED INTO THE HAZE (IT WAS A WHITE AND BLUE ACFT AND I FEEL THIS MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE). I CAN SUGGEST NOTHING THAT WOULD HELP OTHER THAN PAINTING ACFT WITH SOME SPECIAL HIGH VISIBILITY PAINT.

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.