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Private pilot of a piper J3 cub was intercepted by a government helicopter and herded back to a nearby uncontrolled airport after penetrating class C airspace.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 318123 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199509 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mcc airport : q96 |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | J3 Cub |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 125 flight time type : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 318123 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 400 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I was flying east along the american river on the south side over goethe park. I made a 180 degree turn to the left. Upon completion of the 180 degrees, I noticed a rotary wing aircraft coming directly at me approximately 1/4 mi away at the same altitude. I descended and deviated my course to the south to avoid the other aircraft. As I passed the other aircraft I began to climb back to my original altitude. I also noticed the other aircraft was a (law enforcement) helicopter. The (law enforcement) helicopter circled to follow and began flying in formation as close as 400 ft. I made numerous clearing turns in order to see where the other aircraft was and each time both I and the helicopter had to take evasive action to avoid a collision. This continued for 30 mins until I made it back to my home base Q96. During this time, as the helicopter was herding me back to Q96, I was flying in the vicinity of class C and D airspace. Since the J3 cub I was flying in has no radio equipment, I was unable to contact approach. However, there would have been no need if I wasn't concentrating on avoiding a collision with the aircraft violating far 91.111 (a) and (B).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT OF A PIPER J3 CUB WAS INTERCEPTED BY A GOV HELI AND HERDED BACK TO A NEARBY UNCTLED ARPT AFTER PENETRATING CLASS C AIRSPACE.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING E ALONG THE AMERICAN RIVER ON THE S SIDE OVER GOETHE PARK. I MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO THE L. UPON COMPLETION OF THE 180 DEGS, I NOTICED A ROTARY WING ACFT COMING DIRECTLY AT ME APPROX 1/4 MI AWAY AT THE SAME ALT. I DSNDED AND DEVIATED MY COURSE TO THE S TO AVOID THE OTHER ACFT. AS I PASSED THE OTHER ACFT I BEGAN TO CLB BACK TO MY ORIGINAL ALT. I ALSO NOTICED THE OTHER ACFT WAS A (LAW ENFORCEMENT) HELI. THE (LAW ENFORCEMENT) HELI CIRCLED TO FOLLOW AND BEGAN FLYING IN FORMATION AS CLOSE AS 400 FT. I MADE NUMEROUS CLRING TURNS IN ORDER TO SEE WHERE THE OTHER ACFT WAS AND EACH TIME BOTH I AND THE HELI HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS CONTINUED FOR 30 MINS UNTIL I MADE IT BACK TO MY HOME BASE Q96. DURING THIS TIME, AS THE HELI WAS HERDING ME BACK TO Q96, I WAS FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF CLASS C AND D AIRSPACE. SINCE THE J3 CUB I WAS FLYING IN HAS NO RADIO EQUIP, I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT APCH. HOWEVER, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO NEED IF I WASN'T CONCENTRATING ON AVOIDING A COLLISION WITH THE ACFT VIOLATING FAR 91.111 (A) AND (B).
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.