Narrative:

On oct/xa/98 at approximately XX00 hours while on a sightseeing tour on the island of kauai, I observed an S76 departing the mount waialeale crater when it flew over the south ridge and disappeared to the other side of the mountain. In accordance to the deviation authority of far 71, I announced entering the crater at the north rim on 122.7, the authorized common unicom frequency. Upon exiting the crater at 2450 ft MSL (the legal authorized altitude), the S76 was coming directly at me at about 100 ft above my altitude without any announcement of entering the crater. It was totally unexpected and I had to lower my altitude to below deviation authority to maintain a safe clearance. I immediately got on the radio and expressed my surprise. The pilot of the S76 responded with 'I got you' and immediately started to climb. It wasn't until the next day, oct/xb/98, that I learned several pilots on another island had a similar incident with the same S76 on the same day, only around XX35. In addition, it was discovered that the S76 had a flight crew that included at least 1 and maybe more FAA inspectors! I find it deplorable that an FAA inspector or inspectors were on board and a hazard to air traffic was created by this S76. It is my opinion the S76 was not following protocol because they were engaged in activities in combination with a route check ride and law enforcement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A SIGHTSEEING AEROSPATIALE AS350 HELI EXITING A CRATER IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND A GOV OPERATED SIKORSKY S76 ENTERING. WHEN THE AS350 HELI PLT OBSERVED THE S76, IT WAS HDG RIGHT AT HIM ONLY 100 FT ABOVE. THE AS350 DSNDED BELOW SFAR 71 DEV APPROVED ALT TO ASSURE SEPARATION. THE S76 FLC ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAD THE AS350 IN SIGHT.

Narrative: ON OCT/XA/98 AT APPROX XX00 HRS WHILE ON A SIGHTSEEING TOUR ON THE ISLAND OF KAUAI, I OBSERVED AN S76 DEPARTING THE MOUNT WAIALEALE CRATER WHEN IT FLEW OVER THE S RIDGE AND DISAPPEARED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. IN ACCORDANCE TO THE DEV AUTHORITY OF FAR 71, I ANNOUNCED ENTERING THE CRATER AT THE N RIM ON 122.7, THE AUTHORIZED COMMON UNICOM FREQ. UPON EXITING THE CRATER AT 2450 FT MSL (THE LEGAL AUTHORIZED ALT), THE S76 WAS COMING DIRECTLY AT ME AT ABOUT 100 FT ABOVE MY ALT WITHOUT ANY ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENTERING THE CRATER. IT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED AND I HAD TO LOWER MY ALT TO BELOW DEV AUTHORITY TO MAINTAIN A SAFE CLRNC. I IMMEDIATELY GOT ON THE RADIO AND EXPRESSED MY SURPRISE. THE PLT OF THE S76 RESPONDED WITH 'I GOT YOU' AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO CLB. IT WASN'T UNTIL THE NEXT DAY, OCT/XB/98, THAT I LEARNED SEVERAL PLTS ON ANOTHER ISLAND HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT WITH THE SAME S76 ON THE SAME DAY, ONLY AROUND XX35. IN ADDITION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE S76 HAD A FLC THAT INCLUDED AT LEAST 1 AND MAYBE MORE FAA INSPECTORS! I FIND IT DEPLORABLE THAT AN FAA INSPECTOR OR INSPECTORS WERE ON BOARD AND A HAZARD TO AIR TFC WAS CREATED BY THIS S76. IT IS MY OPINION THE S76 WAS NOT FOLLOWING PROTOCOL BECAUSE THEY WERE ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES IN COMBINATION WITH A RTE CHK RIDE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

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.