Near midair collision in the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	301186
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	landing other other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 117 flight time type : 115
ASRS Report	301186
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac inflight encounter other other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 unspecified : 100 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was on left base for runway 4 at cdw and spotted helicopter at my 1 O'clock and at approximately 400 ft. I was at 800 ft. I informed the tower of this. They acknowledged and said the helicopter was going to 'bravo west' which I had never heard of. While I was on short final, helicopter crossed in front of me from my right to left with no more than 100 ft of diagonal separation. This was way too close for my comfort and unsafe practice in my opinion. The helicopter went into a low hover on the left/west side of runway no more than 10 ft off the side of the runway. As I touched down I went through his rotorwash and experienced severe control problems. I understand that cdw has a waiver in place for helicopter operations next to fixed wing aircraft, but such operations seem unwise to me. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter 'raised a little hell with the tower chief' after this incident. He believes that he did a little good. The helicopter was a small training craft, fortunately. The reporter is now aware of the FAA aviation safety hotline. Apparently the helicopter FBO, a flight school, has been warned by the tower chief and their procedures tightened up.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS ON L BASE FOR RWY 4 AT CDW AND SPOTTED HELI AT MY 1 O'CLOCK AND AT APPROX 400 FT. I WAS AT 800 FT. I INFORMED THE TWR OF THIS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID THE HELI WAS GOING TO 'BRAVO W' WHICH I HAD NEVER HEARD OF. WHILE I WAS ON SHORT FINAL, HELI CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME FROM MY R TO L WITH NO MORE THAN 100 FT OF DIAGONAL SEPARATION. THIS WAS WAY TOO CLOSE FOR MY COMFORT AND UNSAFE PRACTICE IN MY OPINION. THE HELI WENT INTO A LOW HOVER ON THE L/W SIDE OF RWY NO MORE THAN 10 FT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY. AS I TOUCHED DOWN I WENT THROUGH HIS ROTORWASH AND EXPERIENCED SEVERE CTL PROBS. I UNDERSTAND THAT CDW HAS A WAIVER IN PLACE FOR HELI OPS NEXT TO FIXED WING ACFT, BUT SUCH OPS SEEM UNWISE TO ME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR 'RAISED A LITTLE HELL WITH THE TWR CHIEF' AFTER THIS INCIDENT. HE BELIEVES THAT HE DID A LITTLE GOOD. THE HELI WAS A SMALL TRAINING CRAFT, FORTUNATELY. THE RPTR IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA AVIATION SAFETY HOTLINE. APPARENTLY THE HELI FBO, A FLT SCHOOL, HAS BEEN WARNED BY THE TWR CHIEF AND THEIR PROCS TIGHTENED UP.

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.