Actual midair collision between C172 on final and helicopter on liftoff at non tower field.

Attributes
ACN	330222
Time
Date	199603
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : al15
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 150 agl bound upper : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	330222
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Called jack edwards (AL15) airport landing runway 9. Made a call at 800 ft entering a right base AL15 runway 9. Turned final at 500 ft, called 'jack edwards cessna final runway 9.' at approximately 150-100 ft on final, just caught sight of helicopter left low coming up. Tried to pull up right, but helicopter rotor impacted left flap and left horizontal stabilizer. Uneventful landing at AL15. I was not aware of other aircraft in pattern nor did I hear any radio calls from the other aircraft. At time of final I was getting ready for a 10 KT, 40 degree left crosswind landing. It just shows you that it can happen anywhere in a traffic pattern. I never saw anything until the last moment. I believe the helicopter should have made position calls so any traffic could know of his presence. Additionally, crossing the approach end of an active runway should not be done at GS altitude. I had a red and white light on the VASI. I would think that you would cross high or low or over the runway on GS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACTUAL MIDAIR COLLISION BTWN C172 ON FINAL AND HELI ON LIFTOFF AT NON TWR FIELD.

Narrative: CALLED JACK EDWARDS (AL15) ARPT LNDG RWY 9. MADE A CALL AT 800 FT ENTERING A R BASE AL15 RWY 9. TURNED FINAL AT 500 FT, CALLED 'JACK EDWARDS CESSNA FINAL RWY 9.' AT APPROX 150-100 FT ON FINAL, JUST CAUGHT SIGHT OF HELI L LOW COMING UP. TRIED TO PULL UP R, BUT HELI ROTOR IMPACTED L FLAP AND L HORIZ STABILIZER. UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT AL15. I WAS NOT AWARE OF OTHER ACFT IN PATTERN NOR DID I HEAR ANY RADIO CALLS FROM THE OTHER ACFT. AT TIME OF FINAL I WAS GETTING READY FOR A 10 KT, 40 DEG L XWIND LNDG. IT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE IN A TFC PATTERN. I NEVER SAW ANYTHING UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. I BELIEVE THE HELI SHOULD HAVE MADE POS CALLS SO ANY TFC COULD KNOW OF HIS PRESENCE. ADDITIONALLY, XING THE APCH END OF AN ACTIVE RWY SHOULD NOT BE DONE AT GS ALT. I HAD A RED AND WHITE LIGHT ON THE VASI. I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD CROSS HIGH OR LOW OR OVER THE RWY ON GS.

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.