Small aircraft pilot in traffic pattern sights flight of 3 helicopters to the north. He makes correc...

Attributes
ACN	390065
Time
Date	199801
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anb
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	390065
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 20
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After a leisure flight of 1.4 hours in the 15 mi radius of anb airport during which I monitored anniston FSS on 123.6 and reported my position as other aircraft made contact. I had been doing steep turns and slow flight 6 NM east of anb for about 30 mins. I headed toward the anb airport and contacted FSS, informed them that I was 3 mi east out of 1800 ft with 3 rotorcraft in sight to the north. I shortly notified anb FSS that I was entering a right downwind (which is published for and due to mountains north of field) and that I still had 3 rotorcraft in sight north of the airport. I turned right base for runway 5 and called my position to FSS and traffic. I had watched the 3 rotorcraft pass to the left of my heading (on base leg) and was calling FSS to report turning final for runway 5 when the flight of 3 rotorcraft cut directly in front of me. They were in a steep, descending turn for runway 5. I called abort on the radio as I made an abrupt hard climbing left turn, then the flight of 3 helicopters called FSS (anb) and announced 'flight of 3 on final for runway 5.' I was close enough to read 'united states of america' on the side of one. Anyway, I circled and let them land. I asked if they could call clear of the runway. They did, and I landed and secured my aircraft. Once I was able to get past the armed militia men, I asked for the PIC, one of the 20 or so men said 'that's me.' I gave him a piece of my mind. He said he had 'radio trouble' and did not know why he had flown a l-hand pattern. These guys did not have any government markings, just olive drab clothes and little plastic tags turned backwards, clipped to their vest pocket. The helicopters just had united states of america on the side, pine green (not olive drab) with white tops and small lettering near the tail. This event (incident) would have easily been prevented if these guys had communicated their intentions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IN TFC PATTERN SIGHTS FLT OF 3 HELIS TO THE N. HE MAKES CORRECT R-HAND PATTERN AND HAD NMAC WITH THE 3 HELIS ON TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL. THE HELIS SAID THEY HAD COM PROBS.

Narrative: AFTER A LEISURE FLT OF 1.4 HRS IN THE 15 MI RADIUS OF ANB ARPT DURING WHICH I MONITORED ANNISTON FSS ON 123.6 AND RPTED MY POS AS OTHER ACFT MADE CONTACT. I HAD BEEN DOING STEEP TURNS AND SLOW FLT 6 NM E OF ANB FOR ABOUT 30 MINS. I HEADED TOWARD THE ANB ARPT AND CONTACTED FSS, INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS 3 MI E OUT OF 1800 FT WITH 3 ROTORCRAFT IN SIGHT TO THE N. I SHORTLY NOTIFIED ANB FSS THAT I WAS ENTERING A R DOWNWIND (WHICH IS PUBLISHED FOR AND DUE TO MOUNTAINS N OF FIELD) AND THAT I STILL HAD 3 ROTORCRAFT IN SIGHT N OF THE ARPT. I TURNED R BASE FOR RWY 5 AND CALLED MY POS TO FSS AND TFC. I HAD WATCHED THE 3 ROTORCRAFT PASS TO THE L OF MY HDG (ON BASE LEG) AND WAS CALLING FSS TO RPT TURNING FINAL FOR RWY 5 WHEN THE FLT OF 3 ROTORCRAFT CUT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. THEY WERE IN A STEEP, DSNDING TURN FOR RWY 5. I CALLED ABORT ON THE RADIO AS I MADE AN ABRUPT HARD CLBING L TURN, THEN THE FLT OF 3 HELIS CALLED FSS (ANB) AND ANNOUNCED 'FLT OF 3 ON FINAL FOR RWY 5.' I WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO READ 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' ON THE SIDE OF ONE. ANYWAY, I CIRCLED AND LET THEM LAND. I ASKED IF THEY COULD CALL CLR OF THE RWY. THEY DID, AND I LANDED AND SECURED MY ACFT. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET PAST THE ARMED MILITIA MEN, I ASKED FOR THE PIC, ONE OF THE 20 OR SO MEN SAID 'THAT'S ME.' I GAVE HIM A PIECE OF MY MIND. HE SAID HE HAD 'RADIO TROUBLE' AND DID NOT KNOW WHY HE HAD FLOWN A L-HAND PATTERN. THESE GUYS DID NOT HAVE ANY GOV MARKINGS, JUST OLIVE DRAB CLOTHES AND LITTLE PLASTIC TAGS TURNED BACKWARDS, CLIPPED TO THEIR VEST POCKET. THE HELIS JUST HAD UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON THE SIDE, PINE GREEN (NOT OLIVE DRAB) WITH WHITE TOPS AND SMALL LETTERING NEAR THE TAIL. THIS EVENT (INCIDENT) WOULD HAVE EASILY BEEN PREVENTED IF THESE GUYS HAD COMMUNICATED THEIR INTENTIONS.

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.

Small aircraft pilot in traffic pattern sights flight of 3 helicopters to the north. He makes correct r-hand pattern and had near midair collision with the 3 helicopters on turn from base to final. The helicopters said they had communication problems.