Near midair collision between an small aircraft helicopter on the downwind leg of a special helicopt...

Attributes
ACN	374811
Time
Date	199707
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ccr
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ccr
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 115 flight time type : 33
ASRS Report	374811
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While in a helicopter pattern for spot J (a taxiway intersection) and on downwind, I heard another helicopter say something like 'tower, what is that fixed wing doing at 200 ft west of the field?' after checking for traffic and not seeing any possible problems, or the fixed wing, I proceeded on downwind. After doing my downwind checks and as I looked up from the panel, I saw a bonanza low wing aircraft at my 12 O'clock and at my level with a slight climb. I was at 600 ft when I saw him. I immediately lowered collective and started a right turn. After recovering from the evasive maneuver, I noticed my altitude was at 450 ft, 150 ft lower than before I noticed the fixed wing bonanza. According to tower the fixed wing had been on approach to runway 19L and had missed the runway. He then made a very shallow climb out to the southwest where he crossed in front of me almost parallel and at the same altitude. The only way to have prevented this in my mind is a lesson in helicopter procedures at a controled airport. Pilots of fixed wing aircraft should become more informed of helicopter activities and patterns due to the fact that there are more of us out there in recent times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN SMA HELI ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF A SPECIAL HELI TFC PATTERN AND A BEECH BONANZA MAKING A GAR AND BACK ON A FINAL TO A FIXED WING RWY.

Narrative: WHILE IN A HELI PATTERN FOR SPOT J (A TXWY INTXN) AND ON DOWNWIND, I HEARD ANOTHER HELI SAY SOMETHING LIKE 'TWR, WHAT IS THAT FIXED WING DOING AT 200 FT W OF THE FIELD?' AFTER CHKING FOR TFC AND NOT SEEING ANY POSSIBLE PROBS, OR THE FIXED WING, I PROCEEDED ON DOWNWIND. AFTER DOING MY DOWNWIND CHKS AND AS I LOOKED UP FROM THE PANEL, I SAW A BONANZA LOW WING ACFT AT MY 12 O'CLOCK AND AT MY LEVEL WITH A SLIGHT CLB. I WAS AT 600 FT WHEN I SAW HIM. I IMMEDIATELY LOWERED COLLECTIVE AND STARTED A R TURN. AFTER RECOVERING FROM THE EVASIVE MANEUVER, I NOTICED MY ALT WAS AT 450 FT, 150 FT LOWER THAN BEFORE I NOTICED THE FIXED WING BONANZA. ACCORDING TO TWR THE FIXED WING HAD BEEN ON APCH TO RWY 19L AND HAD MISSED THE RWY. HE THEN MADE A VERY SHALLOW CLBOUT TO THE SW WHERE HE CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME ALMOST PARALLEL AND AT THE SAME ALT. THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE PREVENTED THIS IN MY MIND IS A LESSON IN HELI PROCS AT A CTLED ARPT. PLTS OF FIXED WING ACFT SHOULD BECOME MORE INFORMED OF HELI ACTIVITIES AND PATTERNS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE OF US OUT THERE IN RECENT TIMES.

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.

Near midair collision between an small aircraft helicopter on the downwind leg of a special helicopter traffic pattern and a beech bonanza making a go around and back on a final to a fixed wing runway.