Narrative:

Operating an OH58 helicopter, supporting local law enforcement in counter narcotics operations, using the DOD-FAA approved call sign. Crew was maintaining surveillance on an area approximately 6 NM southeast of new orleans lakefront airport (new). Observation pattern being used had the aircraft entering and exiting the class D airspace repeatedly. Air crew had established 2- way communication with tower prior to departing new and stated intentions to operate in this area. Having just completed support operations, air crew was beginning to reposition east of search area. Aircraft was positioned in the middle on the north leg of diagram. The PIC in the left seat observed a light twin engine fixed wing airplane at 12 O'clock and approximately 500 ft horizontal and just above helicopter flight path. The PIC took control of the aircraft and initiated an immediate descent. The helicopter descended, avoiding the fixed wing. The rapid rate of descent caused the main rotor to overspd, out of limits. The PIC initiated an immediate precautionary landing to a military heliport (6la0). The initial altitude of the helicopter was approximately 1500 ft MSL. The conditions were VFR with haze. The airplane had its landing lights on. The helicopter had anti- collision lights and position lights on. The airplane was heading west into the sun. I believe both aircraft were in a position they were allowed to be in at that time. I expected traffic information from tower due to being either just inside or outside the class D. If the tower allowed the fixed wing to be on a base to runway 36 at new, traffic reports should have been made regarding our helicopter. However, the responsibility of maintaining separation lies equally upon the PIC of each aircraft. The problem of both PIC's failure to observe the other, compounded by the haze, sun, and possible expectations of ATC beyond the requirements, led to the event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN SMA TWIN AND A MIL HELI IN PROX OF CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative: OPERATING AN OH58 HELI, SUPPORTING LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COUNTER NARCOTICS OPS, USING THE DOD-FAA APPROVED CALL SIGN. CREW WAS MAINTAINING SURVEILLANCE ON AN AREA APPROX 6 NM SE OF NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT ARPT (NEW). OBSERVATION PATTERN BEING USED HAD THE ACFT ENTERING AND EXITING THE CLASS D AIRSPACE REPEATEDLY. AIR CREW HAD ESTABLISHED 2- WAY COM WITH TWR PRIOR TO DEPARTING NEW AND STATED INTENTIONS TO OPERATE IN THIS AREA. HAVING JUST COMPLETED SUPPORT OPS, AIR CREW WAS BEGINNING TO REPOSITION E OF SEARCH AREA. ACFT WAS POSITIONED IN THE MIDDLE ON THE N LEG OF DIAGRAM. THE PIC IN THE L SEAT OBSERVED A LIGHT TWIN ENG FIXED WING AIRPLANE AT 12 O'CLOCK AND APPROX 500 FT HORIZ AND JUST ABOVE HELI FLT PATH. THE PIC TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT. THE HELI DSNDED, AVOIDING THE FIXED WING. THE RAPID RATE OF DSCNT CAUSED THE MAIN ROTOR TO OVERSPD, OUT OF LIMITS. THE PIC INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG TO A MIL HELIPORT (6LA0). THE INITIAL ALT OF THE HELI WAS APPROX 1500 FT MSL. THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR WITH HAZE. THE AIRPLANE HAD ITS LNDG LIGHTS ON. THE HELI HAD ANTI- COLLISION LIGHTS AND POS LIGHTS ON. THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADING W INTO THE SUN. I BELIEVE BOTH ACFT WERE IN A POS THEY WERE ALLOWED TO BE IN AT THAT TIME. I EXPECTED TFC INFO FROM TWR DUE TO BEING EITHER JUST INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE CLASS D. IF THE TWR ALLOWED THE FIXED WING TO BE ON A BASE TO RWY 36 AT NEW, TFC RPTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE REGARDING OUR HELI. HOWEVER, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING SEPARATION LIES EQUALLY UPON THE PIC OF EACH ACFT. THE PROB OF BOTH PIC'S FAILURE TO OBSERVE THE OTHER, COMPOUNDED BY THE HAZE, SUN, AND POSSIBLE EXPECTATIONS OF ATC BEYOND THE REQUIREMENTS, LED TO THE EVENT.

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.