Near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	311896
Time
Date	199508
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : suu airport : apc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 900 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lrd
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	311896
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 175 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight crew of a law enforcement helicopter was orbiting over an incident on the ground. Both crewmembers (observer/flight officer and pilot) had focused their attention on the ground activities while in a left hand orbit. After approximately 1-2 mins, we completed our operation. Upon completion of the last orbit, we leveled the aircraft and saw an airplane at our 1-2 O'clock position, on a converging course. Both aircraft were at an altitude of 900 ft. We quickly took evasive action, coming within 150-200 ft of the other aircraft. After making a sharp l-hand descending turn, we saw the airplane heading away from the area. Identify of the aircraft was not obtained, so it was unable to determine whether he saw us or not. Proper diligence for VFR traffic was not maintained by the crew. There was also a complacent feeling that a fixed-wing aircraft would not be down that low. The principle of 'see and be seen' under VFR conditions must always be re- emphasized. WX at time of occurrence: clear 10-15 mi visibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: THE FLC OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI WAS ORBITING OVER AN INCIDENT ON THE GND. BOTH CREWMEMBERS (OBSERVER/FLT OFFICER AND PLT) HAD FOCUSED THEIR ATTN ON THE GND ACTIVITIES WHILE IN A L HAND ORBIT. AFTER APPROX 1-2 MINS, WE COMPLETED OUR OP. UPON COMPLETION OF THE LAST ORBIT, WE LEVELED THE ACFT AND SAW AN AIRPLANE AT OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS, ON A CONVERGING COURSE. BOTH ACFT WERE AT AN ALT OF 900 FT. WE QUICKLY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION, COMING WITHIN 150-200 FT OF THE OTHER ACFT. AFTER MAKING A SHARP L-HAND DSNDING TURN, WE SAW THE AIRPLANE HEADING AWAY FROM THE AREA. IDENT OF THE ACFT WAS NOT OBTAINED, SO IT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER HE SAW US OR NOT. PROPER DILIGENCE FOR VFR TFC WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE CREW. THERE WAS ALSO A COMPLACENT FEELING THAT A FIXED-WING ACFT WOULD NOT BE DOWN THAT LOW. THE PRINCIPLE OF 'SEE AND BE SEEN' UNDER VFR CONDITIONS MUST ALWAYS BE RE- EMPHASIZED. WX AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE: CLR 10-15 MI VISIBILITY.

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.