Narrative:

I was circling the scene of a serious accident and reporting my observations to a ground station. From past experience of reporting on such serious accidents, I realized the possibility of the need for an EMS helicopter. As I made my third turn over the scene since arriving, I noticed an inbound chopper from the southwest at a higher altitude. Upon seeing the chopper I immediately departed the scene to the south to allow the chopper to land without any interference. After watching the chopper land, I returned to the scene of the accident. A few mins later, another chopper arrived and proceeded to set down. At this point I decided a news and traffic report was much less important than the purpose these helicopters had so I departed and headed for my base. Later that evening I learned that the first helicopter believed I was circling at an altitude of 500 ft MSL which would be about 300 ft AGL. Due to the turbulence present, I may have been at 900 ft MSL (700 ft AGL) for a short time. The local area was sparsely populated which makes the minimum altitude 500 ft AGL which I was certainly above. I believe the helicopter pilot underestimated my altitude due to his being above me. I think a specific frequency set up for sits like this between news and traffic aircraft and other official aircraft would quickly solve this problem. The frequency could be used as a CTAF for such sits if disseminated to all pilots involved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH OP OVER AN ACCIDENT SCENE WITH ROTARY WINGED TFC IN AREA PERFORMING AMBULANCE SVC.

Narrative: I WAS CIRCLING THE SCENE OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND RPTING MY OBSERVATIONS TO A GND STATION. FROM PAST EXPERIENCE OF RPTING ON SUCH SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, I REALIZED THE POSSIBILITY OF THE NEED FOR AN EMS HELI. AS I MADE MY THIRD TURN OVER THE SCENE SINCE ARRIVING, I NOTICED AN INBOUND CHOPPER FROM THE SW AT A HIGHER ALT. UPON SEEING THE CHOPPER I IMMEDIATELY DEPARTED THE SCENE TO THE S TO ALLOW THE CHOPPER TO LAND WITHOUT ANY INTERFERENCE. AFTER WATCHING THE CHOPPER LAND, I RETURNED TO THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. A FEW MINS LATER, ANOTHER CHOPPER ARRIVED AND PROCEEDED TO SET DOWN. AT THIS POINT I DECIDED A NEWS AND TFC RPT WAS MUCH LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE PURPOSE THESE HELIS HAD SO I DEPARTED AND HEADED FOR MY BASE. LATER THAT EVENING I LEARNED THAT THE FIRST HELI BELIEVED I WAS CIRCLING AT AN ALT OF 500 FT MSL WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 300 FT AGL. DUE TO THE TURB PRESENT, I MAY HAVE BEEN AT 900 FT MSL (700 FT AGL) FOR A SHORT TIME. THE LCL AREA WAS SPARSELY POPULATED WHICH MAKES THE MINIMUM ALT 500 FT AGL WHICH I WAS CERTAINLY ABOVE. I BELIEVE THE HELI PLT UNDERESTIMATED MY ALT DUE TO HIS BEING ABOVE ME. I THINK A SPECIFIC FREQ SET UP FOR SITS LIKE THIS BTWN NEWS AND TFC ACFT AND OTHER OFFICIAL ACFT WOULD QUICKLY SOLVE THIS PROB. THE FREQ COULD BE USED AS A CTAF FOR SUCH SITS IF DISSEMINATED TO ALL PLTS INVOLVED.

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.