Near midair collision between an R22 and R44 helicopter in a training area 3 mi northeast of dvt, az...

Attributes
ACN	610070
Time
Date	200403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dvt.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Windshear
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dvt.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Robinson R22
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dvt.tower
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	MD Helicopter 500/C/D/E/L
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150.1 flight time total : 1605.3 flight time type : 1605.3
ASRS Report	610070
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25 vertical : 25
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On the morning of mar/tue/04, around XA00, I was cleared into the northeast practice area by phoenix (deer valley) tower controller, along with a law enforcement helicopter aircraft Y. After establishing where aircraft Y was going to operate within the practice area, we moved east for separation. As part of the clearance, ATC informed me that aircraft Y was operating in the practice area. After flying and setting up an approach for a landing in a clear area in the desert, an aircraft Z appeared at about 25 ft from the intended landing spot. I took the controls from student, said some choice words about the other aircraft, and began a go around. While initiating the power recovery, the wind blew me closer toward the other R44 helicopter path. The other helicopter had a problem with control but managed to move out of the way of my downwash. I then called dvt tower and asked controller how many helicopters were in the practice area. Controller advised 1 helicopter and then called for aircraft Y to report in. I then advised dvt tower there were 3 helicopters in the northeast practice area. Both helicopters were undamaged, but needed to take evasive action to avoid a collision. I think dvt tower should have been diligent in knowing the number of helicopters.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN R22 AND R44 HELI IN A TRAINING AREA 3 MI NE OF DVT, AZ.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF MAR/TUE/04, AROUND XA00, I WAS CLRED INTO THE NE PRACTICE AREA BY PHOENIX (DEER VALLEY) TWR CTLR, ALONG WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI ACFT Y. AFTER ESTABLISHING WHERE ACFT Y WAS GOING TO OPERATE WITHIN THE PRACTICE AREA, WE MOVED E FOR SEPARATION. AS PART OF THE CLRNC, ATC INFORMED ME THAT ACFT Y WAS OPERATING IN THE PRACTICE AREA. AFTER FLYING AND SETTING UP AN APCH FOR A LNDG IN A CLR AREA IN THE DESERT, AN ACFT Z APPEARED AT ABOUT 25 FT FROM THE INTENDED LNDG SPOT. I TOOK THE CTLS FROM STUDENT, SAID SOME CHOICE WORDS ABOUT THE OTHER ACFT, AND BEGAN A GAR. WHILE INITIATING THE PWR RECOVERY, THE WIND BLEW ME CLOSER TOWARD THE OTHER R44 HELI PATH. THE OTHER HELI HAD A PROB WITH CTL BUT MANAGED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF MY DOWNWASH. I THEN CALLED DVT TWR AND ASKED CTLR HOW MANY HELIS WERE IN THE PRACTICE AREA. CTLR ADVISED 1 HELI AND THEN CALLED FOR ACFT Y TO RPT IN. I THEN ADVISED DVT TWR THERE WERE 3 HELIS IN THE NE PRACTICE AREA. BOTH HELIS WERE UNDAMAGED, BUT NEEDED TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A COLLISION. I THINK DVT TWR SHOULD HAVE BEEN DILIGENT IN KNOWING THE NUMBER OF HELIS.

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.