Near midair collision between a C172 pleasure flight and a C421 at 8000 ft MSL over a restr fire area at yellowstone national park, 10 mi sse of 29S. Mt.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	554407
Time
Date	200207
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 29s.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc.artcc
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	554407
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : nmac inflight encounter other non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility Airspace Structure Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Climbing after takeoff from gardiner airport, mt, to west yellowstone, mt, airport over yellowstone national park, we noticed smoke coming up from the forest, then we saw a helicopter slurry bomber below us. Realizing we were in a forest fire fighting operation area, I exited the area as soon as possible. In less than 5 mins, a C421, or similar type aircraft, passed us at high speed on the left of my aircraft and cut in front of us. I switched my radio to guard frequency 121.5 and continued on my west heading. I asked my wife to watch the C421 and she observed the aircraft coming around again. I began climbing again and the C421 again passed us on the left then cut in front of us. I turned right as the C421 passed to get greater separation and then returned on course. I believe the C421 was trying to drive us off. There should be more information at area airports of area fire fighting activities, map posters with location of restr area or similar. I happened onto this area by mistake. I checked NOTAMS but did not see the one on this area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A C172 PLEASURE FLT AND A C421 AT 8000 FT MSL OVER A RESTR FIRE AREA AT YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, 10 MI SSE OF 29S. MT.

Narrative: CLBING AFTER TKOF FROM GARDINER ARPT, MT, TO WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT, ARPT OVER YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE FOREST, THEN WE SAW A HELI SLURRY BOMBER BELOW US. REALIZING WE WERE IN A FOREST FIRE FIGHTING OP AREA, I EXITED THE AREA ASAP. IN LESS THAN 5 MINS, A C421, OR SIMILAR TYPE ACFT, PASSED US AT HIGH SPD ON THE L OF MY ACFT AND CUT IN FRONT OF US. I SWITCHED MY RADIO TO GUARD FREQ 121.5 AND CONTINUED ON MY W HDG. I ASKED MY WIFE TO WATCH THE C421 AND SHE OBSERVED THE ACFT COMING AROUND AGAIN. I BEGAN CLBING AGAIN AND THE C421 AGAIN PASSED US ON THE L THEN CUT IN FRONT OF US. I TURNED R AS THE C421 PASSED TO GET GREATER SEPARATION AND THEN RETURNED ON COURSE. I BELIEVE THE C421 WAS TRYING TO DRIVE US OFF. THERE SHOULD BE MORE INFO AT AREA ARPTS OF AREA FIRE FIGHTING ACTIVITIES, MAP POSTERS WITH LOCATION OF RESTR AREA OR SIMILAR. I HAPPENED ONTO THIS AREA BY MISTAKE. I CHKED NOTAMS BUT DID NOT SEE THE ONE ON THIS AREA.

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.