Narrative:

With a CFI as a safety pilot, I was flying the second of 3 planned practice instrument approachs at abe. We were flying the second of 2 localizer back course 24 approachs. At the missed approach, I contacted allentown tower and announced 'allentown tower, skylane (aircraft identify) low pass runway 24.' allentown tower responded 'skylane..., runway heading, climb and maintain 3000 ft, go to departure....' I replied 'runway heading, climbing 3000 ft, going to departure skylane....' I reconfigured the airplane and established a climb of approximately 700 FPM, following the runway heading. The plan was for allentown departure to vector us for the ILS 13 approach. Approximately 1800 ft MSL a large helicopter passed over us flying a heading that crossed from my right rear across the nose of my skylane toward the left. The helicopter was close enough to block the entire windscreen. The helicopter descended after passing us. I reduced the rate of climb and rode through the helicopter's rotor wash. After we cleared the helicopter's rotor wash, I re-established our rate of climb. Shortly thereafter, allentown departure began to vector us for the ILS runway 13 approach. Later, the CFI and I reviewed the events leading up to and during the near miss, including the radio xmissions. Upon returning to our home airport, we decided to contact ATC at allentown. We learned from our conversation with ATC that: shortly after my 'runway heading, climbing 3000 ft, going to departure, skylane...' reply, allentown tower tried to contact us to inform us of the proximity of the helicopter. I had already switched to departure. The helicopter was in touch with allentown tower and stated they had us in sight. I understand the helicopter was VFR. Visibility was good and we were VMC. I believe the helicopter should have maneuvered to avoid crossing over us at such a close proximity, particularly since we were climbing.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 HAS AN NMAC WITH A HELI AT ABE.

Narrative: WITH A CFI AS A SAFETY PLT, I WAS FLYING THE SECOND OF 3 PLANNED PRACTICE INST APCHS AT ABE. WE WERE FLYING THE SECOND OF 2 LOC BACK COURSE 24 APCHS. AT THE MISSED APCH, I CONTACTED ALLENTOWN TWR AND ANNOUNCED 'ALLENTOWN TWR, SKYLANE (ACFT IDENT) LOW PASS RWY 24.' ALLENTOWN TWR RESPONDED 'SKYLANE..., RWY HDG, CLB AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT, GO TO DEP....' I REPLIED 'RWY HDG, CLBING 3000 FT, GOING TO DEP SKYLANE....' I RECONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE AND ESTABLISHED A CLB OF APPROX 700 FPM, FOLLOWING THE RWY HDG. THE PLAN WAS FOR ALLENTOWN DEP TO VECTOR US FOR THE ILS 13 APCH. APPROX 1800 FT MSL A LARGE HELI PASSED OVER US FLYING A HDG THAT CROSSED FROM MY R REAR ACROSS THE NOSE OF MY SKYLANE TOWARD THE L. THE HELI WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BLOCK THE ENTIRE WINDSCREEN. THE HELI DSNDED AFTER PASSING US. I REDUCED THE RATE OF CLB AND RODE THROUGH THE HELI'S ROTOR WASH. AFTER WE CLRED THE HELI'S ROTOR WASH, I RE-ESTABLISHED OUR RATE OF CLB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ALLENTOWN DEP BEGAN TO VECTOR US FOR THE ILS RWY 13 APCH. LATER, THE CFI AND I REVIEWED THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND DURING THE NEAR MISS, INCLUDING THE RADIO XMISSIONS. UPON RETURNING TO OUR HOME ARPT, WE DECIDED TO CONTACT ATC AT ALLENTOWN. WE LEARNED FROM OUR CONVERSATION WITH ATC THAT: SHORTLY AFTER MY 'RWY HDG, CLBING 3000 FT, GOING TO DEP, SKYLANE...' REPLY, ALLENTOWN TWR TRIED TO CONTACT US TO INFORM US OF THE PROX OF THE HELI. I HAD ALREADY SWITCHED TO DEP. THE HELI WAS IN TOUCH WITH ALLENTOWN TWR AND STATED THEY HAD US IN SIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THE HELI WAS VFR. VISIBILITY WAS GOOD AND WE WERE VMC. I BELIEVE THE HELI SHOULD HAVE MANEUVERED TO AVOID XING OVER US AT SUCH A CLOSE PROX, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE WERE CLBING.

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.