Aircraft has near midair collision at an uncontrolled airfield.

Attributes
ACN	277441
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : d98
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1550 msl bound upper : 1550
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 497 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	277441
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 75
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was returning to my home field (romeo - D98) to land and entered a crosswind for the active runway, runway 18. I was approximately over the active runway when I heard another aircraft announce he was entering a downwind for runway 18. I looked around and saw a small helicopter slightly above me and about 500 yards in front. I wondered if this was the other aircraft entering a downwind since I didn't recall the aircraft type that I just heard. Based on the position, apparent speeds immediately turn into my downwind leg sooner than I normally would have. As soon as I turned, I lost sight of the helicopter. I then proceeded to land uneventfully, while announcing on unicom my downwind, base and final legs. After I landed I heard the helicopter announce that it was on a right base for runway 9, and I also heard another plane (a low wing varga) on final for runway 18. At that point I realized the varga was the aircraft I heard originally announcing its downwind intentions. The varga landed and then the helicopter used runway 9 to approach the hangar area. Although I thought this was somewhat unusual, I didn't think any more about it until one of the airport personnel called me at work on monday and intimated that the helicopter pilot complained that I acted in an unsafe manner. I take exception to that and am therefore filing this report. Also during the discussion with the airport person, I was told that it is normal for helicopters to fly right hand patterns (which does make some sense to me) and, since romeo is uncontrolled, can select any runway (which I don't disagree with). However, I believe once a pilot selects a runway other than the active, it is incumbent upon him to see and avoid all other traffic. I did talk to 3 other pilots about this incident (2 of them cfii's) and none of them were aware of the rules covering this situation. Therefore, it seems that some sort of 'refresher' information should be made available covering this situation now that personal helicopters at uncontrolled airfields are becoming more common. (This was my first encounter with a helicopter in the pattern at an uncontrolled airfield since I started flying in 1974).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT HAS NMAC AT AN UNCTLED AIRFIELD.

Narrative: I WAS RETURNING TO MY HOME FIELD (ROMEO - D98) TO LAND AND ENTERED A XWIND FOR THE ACTIVE RWY, RWY 18. I WAS APPROX OVER THE ACTIVE RWY WHEN I HEARD ANOTHER ACFT ANNOUNCE HE WAS ENTERING A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 18. I LOOKED AROUND AND SAW A SMALL HELI SLIGHTLY ABOVE ME AND ABOUT 500 YARDS IN FRONT. I WONDERED IF THIS WAS THE OTHER ACFT ENTERING A DOWNWIND SINCE I DIDN'T RECALL THE ACFT TYPE THAT I JUST HEARD. BASED ON THE POS, APPARENT SPDS IMMEDIATELY TURN INTO MY DOWNWIND LEG SOONER THAN I NORMALLY WOULD HAVE. AS SOON AS I TURNED, I LOST SIGHT OF THE HELI. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LAND UNEVENTFULLY, WHILE ANNOUNCING ON UNICOM MY DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL LEGS. AFTER I LANDED I HEARD THE HELI ANNOUNCE THAT IT WAS ON A R BASE FOR RWY 9, AND I ALSO HEARD ANOTHER PLANE (A LOW WING VARGA) ON FINAL FOR RWY 18. AT THAT POINT I REALIZED THE VARGA WAS THE ACFT I HEARD ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCING ITS DOWNWIND INTENTIONS. THE VARGA LANDED AND THEN THE HELI USED RWY 9 TO APCH THE HANGAR AREA. ALTHOUGH I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL, I DIDN'T THINK ANY MORE ABOUT IT UNTIL ONE OF THE ARPT PERSONNEL CALLED ME AT WORK ON MONDAY AND INTIMATED THAT THE HELI PLT COMPLAINED THAT I ACTED IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. I TAKE EXCEPTION TO THAT AND AM THEREFORE FILING THIS RPT. ALSO DURING THE DISCUSSION WITH THE ARPT PERSON, I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR HELIS TO FLY R HAND PATTERNS (WHICH DOES MAKE SOME SENSE TO ME) AND, SINCE ROMEO IS UNCTLED, CAN SELECT ANY RWY (WHICH I DON'T DISAGREE WITH). HOWEVER, I BELIEVE ONCE A PLT SELECTS A RWY OTHER THAN THE ACTIVE, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON HIM TO SEE AND AVOID ALL OTHER TFC. I DID TALK TO 3 OTHER PLTS ABOUT THIS INCIDENT (2 OF THEM CFII'S) AND NONE OF THEM WERE AWARE OF THE RULES COVERING THIS SIT. THEREFORE, IT SEEMS THAT SOME SORT OF 'REFRESHER' INFO SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE COVERING THIS SIT NOW THAT PERSONAL HELIS AT UNCTLED AIRFIELDS ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON. (THIS WAS MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH A HELI IN THE PATTERN AT AN UNCTLED AIRFIELD SINCE I STARTED FLYING IN 1974).

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.