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The pilot of a news helicopter was so intent on pursuing a bank robber that he got between the police helicopter, in pursuit, and the suspect.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 426503 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199901 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : rdu |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 450 agl bound upper : 450 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9009 flight time type : 5100 |
| ASRS Report | 426503 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | other personnel other |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 150 vertical : 150 |
Narrative:
A police chase developed after a bank robber decided to flee. We were dispatched about XA25 to see if we could get any video of the pursuit. We launched at XA30. I received a page that the police helicopter was in the air. As we proceeded to the last known location of the fleeing bank robber, I tried calling the police on 123.45 (a frequency we use to communication on (prearranged)). I received no response and I tried 3 times. By now we had arrived on scene and the robber was driving towards us. We entered the scene at approximately 450 ft AGL and made a 135 degree clockwise turn to come out on the l-hand side of the suspect's vehicle. The chase continued and my camera man said the police aircraft is coming up at your 5 O'clock position and low. I tried calling them again and again, approximately 12 times. When the chase ended, the police aircraft came up on frequency and asked me to phone him. We have a good relationship. He told me that when I made the 135 degree turn to enter the chase, I had cut in front of him, slightly higher. Neither my cameraman nor I saw the helicopter. The other pilot thought that I had seen him, which I had not. We discussed the event and decided that I would enter at 1000 ft AGL until radio contact was established. I believe both aircraft had target fixation, and he did not see him until the last min. With all the flashing lights from the patrol cars his strobes blended in. Also his aircraft is black and silver and is difficult to see when looking down on him. Even though I had been paged with the information that he was in the air, because I could not reach him on the radio, I assumed I had beaten him to the scene. As I mentioned earlier, the other pilot and I discussed the adrenaline pumping and target fixation which I believe affected everybody involved. From now on we will enter scene at a minimum of 1000 ft AGL, and the police will try to come up on frequency so that we can coordinate.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: THE PLT OF A NEWS HELI WAS SO INTENT ON PURSUING A BANK ROBBER THAT HE GOT BTWN THE POLICE HELI, IN PURSUIT, AND THE SUSPECT.
Narrative: A POLICE CHASE DEVELOPED AFTER A BANK ROBBER DECIDED TO FLEE. WE WERE DISPATCHED ABOUT XA25 TO SEE IF WE COULD GET ANY VIDEO OF THE PURSUIT. WE LAUNCHED AT XA30. I RECEIVED A PAGE THAT THE POLICE HELI WAS IN THE AIR. AS WE PROCEEDED TO THE LAST KNOWN LOCATION OF THE FLEEING BANK ROBBER, I TRIED CALLING THE POLICE ON 123.45 (A FREQ WE USE TO COM ON (PREARRANGED)). I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AND I TRIED 3 TIMES. BY NOW WE HAD ARRIVED ON SCENE AND THE ROBBER WAS DRIVING TOWARDS US. WE ENTERED THE SCENE AT APPROX 450 FT AGL AND MADE A 135 DEG CLOCKWISE TURN TO COME OUT ON THE L-HAND SIDE OF THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE. THE CHASE CONTINUED AND MY CAMERA MAN SAID THE POLICE ACFT IS COMING UP AT YOUR 5 O'CLOCK POS AND LOW. I TRIED CALLING THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN, APPROX 12 TIMES. WHEN THE CHASE ENDED, THE POLICE ACFT CAME UP ON FREQ AND ASKED ME TO PHONE HIM. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP. HE TOLD ME THAT WHEN I MADE THE 135 DEG TURN TO ENTER THE CHASE, I HAD CUT IN FRONT OF HIM, SLIGHTLY HIGHER. NEITHER MY CAMERAMAN NOR I SAW THE HELI. THE OTHER PLT THOUGHT THAT I HAD SEEN HIM, WHICH I HAD NOT. WE DISCUSSED THE EVENT AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD ENTER AT 1000 FT AGL UNTIL RADIO CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. I BELIEVE BOTH ACFT HAD TARGET FIXATION, AND HE DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL THE LAST MIN. WITH ALL THE FLASHING LIGHTS FROM THE PATROL CARS HIS STROBES BLENDED IN. ALSO HIS ACFT IS BLACK AND SILVER AND IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN LOOKING DOWN ON HIM. EVEN THOUGH I HAD BEEN PAGED WITH THE INFO THAT HE WAS IN THE AIR, BECAUSE I COULD NOT REACH HIM ON THE RADIO, I ASSUMED I HAD BEATEN HIM TO THE SCENE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE OTHER PLT AND I DISCUSSED THE ADRENALINE PUMPING AND TARGET FIXATION WHICH I BELIEVE AFFECTED EVERYBODY INVOLVED. FROM NOW ON WE WILL ENTER SCENE AT A MINIMUM OF 1000 FT AGL, AND THE POLICE WILL TRY TO COME UP ON FREQ SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE.
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.