Helicopter had near midair collision with radio controled model aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	326359
Time
Date	199601
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bvy
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	326359
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 0

Narrative:

I recently had a 'close encounter' with a radio-controled model airplane just outside of palo alto airport's class D airspace. I'd left palo alto on a n-easterly heading to take some clients to a construction site in newark, maintaining 600 ft AGL to stay below inbound fixed-wing traffic arriving from the north. Just to the southwest of the 'salt pile' in newark I observed a bright red object pass in front of my aircraft in a vertical climb and at a high rate of speed. The object was visible for only a few seconds and I'd estimate that it passed within 100 ft of my aircraft. I'd entered a tight left turn upon first sighting the object and as I completed the turn I noticed a red colored model airplane descending toward the ground below and to the right of me. The model airplane continued its descent toward a green- colored rectangle on the ground. I learned later that the green-colored rectangle is a model aircraft 'airport' and is used by local enthusiasts on a regular basis. The 'salt piles' and the model airplane operating area are less than a half mi from one another. Pilots should use caution when reporting the 'salt pile' prior to entering palo alto's class D airspace. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he was flying a helicopter. Evasive action was taken after the fact. Reporter was informed there are no FARS covering model aircraft operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI HAD NMAC WITH RADIO CTLED MODEL ACFT.

Narrative: I RECENTLY HAD A 'CLOSE ENCOUNTER' WITH A RADIO-CTLED MODEL AIRPLANE JUST OUTSIDE OF PALO ALTO ARPT'S CLASS D AIRSPACE. I'D LEFT PALO ALTO ON A N-EASTERLY HEADING TO TAKE SOME CLIENTS TO A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN NEWARK, MAINTAINING 600 FT AGL TO STAY BELOW INBOUND FIXED-WING TFC ARRIVING FROM THE N. JUST TO THE SW OF THE 'SALT PILE' IN NEWARK I OBSERVED A BRIGHT RED OBJECT PASS IN FRONT OF MY ACFT IN A VERT CLB AND AT A HIGH RATE OF SPD. THE OBJECT WAS VISIBLE FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS AND I'D ESTIMATE THAT IT PASSED WITHIN 100 FT OF MY ACFT. I'D ENTERED A TIGHT L TURN UPON FIRST SIGHTING THE OBJECT AND AS I COMPLETED THE TURN I NOTICED A RED COLORED MODEL AIRPLANE DSNDING TOWARD THE GND BELOW AND TO THE R OF ME. THE MODEL AIRPLANE CONTINUED ITS DSCNT TOWARD A GREEN- COLORED RECTANGLE ON THE GND. I LEARNED LATER THAT THE GREEN-COLORED RECTANGLE IS A MODEL ACFT 'ARPT' AND IS USED BY LCL ENTHUSIASTS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE 'SALT PILES' AND THE MODEL AIRPLANE OPERATING AREA ARE LESS THAN A HALF MI FROM ONE ANOTHER. PLTS SHOULD USE CAUTION WHEN RPTING THE 'SALT PILE' PRIOR TO ENTERING PALO ALTO'S CLASS D AIRSPACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE WAS FLYING A HELI. EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN AFTER THE FACT. RPTR WAS INFORMED THERE ARE NO FARS COVERING MODEL ACFT OP.

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.