Media helicopter on approach at uncontrolled airport cuts out an small aircraft who does go around.

Attributes
ACN	257081
Time
Date	199311
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rdu airport : 7a5
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	257081
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I work for a tv station as a helicopter pilot. On mon, I reported to work at xxam. I was informed that we wanted to cover the opening of a new airport in franklin country. I had flown over it a few times while the airport was under construction so I knew where it was. We were in a hurry because the ceremony began at XX30 and it was about a 15 min trip. I glanced at my sectional (cincinnati) and found a paved runway roughly where I thought the new airport was. I noted that the name had changed from franklin county airport to raleigh, but thought it was the new name. Incidentally, the reporter with me had called the airport to get information and requested unicom frequency but the public relations person at the other end did not know what the frequency was. We arrived at the air traffic area about XX35 am and made a call on 122.90 that I was 5 NM southwest inbound. No response (I had taken the frequency off the sectional). We made an orbit over the airport at 800 AGL to video tape the activities below and then proceeded to enter the traffic pattern on a right downwind leg. All the while searching for traffic and not seeing or hearing anyone, I continued the approach and taxied in and landed. As soon as the aircraft was shut down, the FAA introduced themselves and asked if I knew that right traffic was illegal, to which I replied, not if you're a helicopter (91.126), and then asked if I had seen the light twin on final, which I apparently had cut in front of (1/2 mi spacing), but the twin elected to go around. I replied no. He then asked to see my licenses, which I had left in my jacket on my desk. Ambient temperature that day 80 degrees F. He called later that day to discuss the events. I should have called an FSS to get any NOTAMS and appropriate frequencys. The helicopter had a 10 inch wide blind strip at 10 O'clock (probably where the light twin was). Incidentally, neither of the passenger saw the twin. Always carry your tickets. Keep the address up to date on your license (I have moved a lot and because they don't update your certificate by sending you another, sometimes it's difficult to remember whether you updated your mailing address).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEDIA HELI ON APCH AT UNCTLED ARPT CUTS OUT AN SMA WHO DOES GAR.

Narrative: I WORK FOR A TV STATION AS A HELI PLT. ON MON, I RPTED TO WORK AT XXAM. I WAS INFORMED THAT WE WANTED TO COVER THE OPENING OF A NEW ARPT IN FRANKLIN COUNTRY. I HAD FLOWN OVER IT A FEW TIMES WHILE THE ARPT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION SO I KNEW WHERE IT WAS. WE WERE IN A HURRY BECAUSE THE CEREMONY BEGAN AT XX30 AND IT WAS ABOUT A 15 MIN TRIP. I GLANCED AT MY SECTIONAL (CINCINNATI) AND FOUND A PAVED RWY ROUGHLY WHERE I THOUGHT THE NEW ARPT WAS. I NOTED THAT THE NAME HAD CHANGED FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY ARPT TO RALEIGH, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEW NAME. INCIDENTALLY, THE RPTR WITH ME HAD CALLED THE ARPT TO GET INFO AND REQUESTED UNICOM FREQ BUT THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSON AT THE OTHER END DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE FREQ WAS. WE ARRIVED AT THE ATA ABOUT XX35 AM AND MADE A CALL ON 122.90 THAT I WAS 5 NM SW INBOUND. NO RESPONSE (I HAD TAKEN THE FREQ OFF THE SECTIONAL). WE MADE AN ORBIT OVER THE ARPT AT 800 AGL TO VIDEO TAPE THE ACTIVITIES BELOW AND THEN PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE TFC PATTERN ON A R DOWNWIND LEG. ALL THE WHILE SEARCHING FOR TFC AND NOT SEEING OR HEARING ANYONE, I CONTINUED THE APCH AND TAXIED IN AND LANDED. AS SOON AS THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN, THE FAA INTRODUCED THEMSELVES AND ASKED IF I KNEW THAT R TFC WAS ILLEGAL, TO WHICH I REPLIED, NOT IF YOU'RE A HELI (91.126), AND THEN ASKED IF I HAD SEEN THE LIGHT TWIN ON FINAL, WHICH I APPARENTLY HAD CUT IN FRONT OF (1/2 MI SPACING), BUT THE TWIN ELECTED TO GAR. I REPLIED NO. HE THEN ASKED TO SEE MY LICENSES, WHICH I HAD LEFT IN MY JACKET ON MY DESK. AMBIENT TEMP THAT DAY 80 DEGS F. HE CALLED LATER THAT DAY TO DISCUSS THE EVENTS. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED AN FSS TO GET ANY NOTAMS AND APPROPRIATE FREQS. THE HELI HAD A 10 INCH WIDE BLIND STRIP AT 10 O'CLOCK (PROBABLY WHERE THE LIGHT TWIN WAS). INCIDENTALLY, NEITHER OF THE PAX SAW THE TWIN. ALWAYS CARRY YOUR TICKETS. KEEP THE ADDRESS UP TO DATE ON YOUR LICENSE (I HAVE MOVED A LOT AND BECAUSE THEY DON'T UPDATE YOUR CERTIFICATE BY SENDING YOU ANOTHER, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER WHETHER YOU UPDATED YOUR MAILING ADDRESS).

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.