Potential conflict in proximity of traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	203721
Time
Date	199203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rnt
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rnt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	203721
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Pilot (not myself) was proceeding due north directly at airport at 500 ft. He asked me to call in to tower to transit to the north. I called in reporting '6 mi south request transit your air traffic area to the north.' the controller said 'cleared through at or above 1500 ft or at or below 900 ft.' after repeating the clearance to pilot for confirmation as it sounded a little odd since we could hear a lot of landing traffic I told the pilot we should climb to 1500 ft. He didn't want to and since ATC had cleared us to proceed I wasn't concerned until I realized that the volume of landing traffic on the radio and failure of ATC to contact us further as we neared the base to final turn of 33 may put us in front of a landing plane without ATC recognizing it. I called 2 mi out and asked if the controller would like us to go west of the field (the pattern was to the east) or follow 405 (the freeway) around to the east. The controller asked my altitude and I replied 'below 900 ft.' the controller directed an immediate turn to the east and I was told to avoid traffic on base. I took control of the aircraft and turned east. We passed an small aircraft on right base on our right.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT IN PROX OF TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: PLT (NOT MYSELF) WAS PROCEEDING DUE N DIRECTLY AT ARPT AT 500 FT. HE ASKED ME TO CALL IN TO TWR TO TRANSIT TO THE N. I CALLED IN RPTING '6 MI S REQUEST TRANSIT YOUR ATA TO THE N.' THE CTLR SAID 'CLRED THROUGH AT OR ABOVE 1500 FT OR AT OR BELOW 900 FT.' AFTER REPEATING THE CLRNC TO PLT FOR CONFIRMATION AS IT SOUNDED A LITTLE ODD SINCE WE COULD HEAR A LOT OF LNDG TFC I TOLD THE PLT WE SHOULD CLB TO 1500 FT. HE DIDN'T WANT TO AND SINCE ATC HAD CLRED US TO PROCEED I WASN'T CONCERNED UNTIL I REALIZED THAT THE VOLUME OF LNDG TFC ON THE RADIO AND FAILURE OF ATC TO CONTACT US FURTHER AS WE NEARED THE BASE TO FINAL TURN OF 33 MAY PUT US IN FRONT OF A LNDG PLANE WITHOUT ATC RECOGNIZING IT. I CALLED 2 MI OUT AND ASKED IF THE CTLR WOULD LIKE US TO GO W OF THE FIELD (THE PATTERN WAS TO THE E) OR FOLLOW 405 (THE FREEWAY) AROUND TO THE E. THE CTLR ASKED MY ALT AND I REPLIED 'BELOW 900 FT.' THE CTLR DIRECTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE E AND I WAS TOLD TO AVOID TFC ON BASE. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND TURNED E. WE PASSED AN SMA ON R BASE ON OUR R.

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.