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Pilot of an ambulance helicopter made an evasive action turn after a fixed wing aircraft was observed coming toward him at the same altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 435465 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199904 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Navigation In Use | other other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3950 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 435465 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 1300 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Departed hospital nebound back with a patient. About 5 mi northeast of the hospital, I noticed an airplane about 1 O'clock opposite direction 1/2 to 3/4 mi. I turned left to avoid. I then noticed the plane was making a slow turn toward me. I turned left more and observed him passing down my right side still in a gradual turn and circling behind me. He came out of my opposite side behind me and continued on to northwest. The WX was beautiful and I was monitoring the CTAF for both XXX and YYY as they were 2 uncontrolled airports in vicinity. The traffic was pretty heavy at XXX but we were well outside their area. Right after takeoff I scanned around and the area was clear. I looked down to adjust a radio and when I looked back up I saw the plane. Based on the reaction of the other aircraft I don't think he ever saw me. I'll know to be doubly vigilant in future and to anticipate unexpected maneuvers by the other aircraft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN AMBULANCE HELI MADE AN EVASIVE ACTION TURN AFTER A FIXED WING ACFT WAS OBSERVED COMING TOWARD HIM AT THE SAME ALT.
Narrative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
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.