Helicopter pilot experienced close call with unknown traffic while in contact with microphone tower.

Attributes
ACN	615372
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mic.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl single value : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mic.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : mic.tower
Make Model Name	M-20 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	6153752
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

After departing ZZZ while talking to microphone tower at an altitude of 1900 ft MSL on a patient flight, a mooney, red/cream colored, appeared at my 1 O'clock position nnwbound at the same altitude or in a slow climb. I was on a heading of approximately 335 degrees. I had been talking to microphone tower since lifting off ZZZ. No mention was made of the traffic until I told tower I had the mooney in sight. He replied 'roger.' I asked the tower if he was talking to the mooney and he said 'yes, I forgot about the traffic.' there have been numerous sits in the last 19 yrs where microphone controllers have forgotten to issue traffic, made errors and just don't seem to be on their toes or professional. Out of the 5 towers in the twin city area, they are by far the worst. Also, we were the only 2 aircraft the tower was working.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT EXPERIENCED CLOSE CALL WITH UNKNOWN TFC WHILE IN CONTACT WITH MIC TWR.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ZZZ WHILE TALKING TO MIC TWR AT AN ALT OF 1900 FT MSL ON A PATIENT FLT, A MOONEY, RED/CREAM COLORED, APPEARED AT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS NNWBOUND AT THE SAME ALT OR IN A SLOW CLB. I WAS ON A HDG OF APPROX 335 DEGS. I HAD BEEN TALKING TO MIC TWR SINCE LIFTING OFF ZZZ. NO MENTION WAS MADE OF THE TFC UNTIL I TOLD TWR I HAD THE MOONEY IN SIGHT. HE REPLIED 'ROGER.' I ASKED THE TWR IF HE WAS TALKING TO THE MOONEY AND HE SAID 'YES, I FORGOT ABOUT THE TFC.' THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS SITS IN THE LAST 19 YRS WHERE MIC CTLRS HAVE FORGOTTEN TO ISSUE TFC, MADE ERRORS AND JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE ON THEIR TOES OR PROFESSIONAL. OUT OF THE 5 TWRS IN THE TWIN CITY AREA, THEY ARE BY FAR THE WORST. ALSO, WE WERE THE ONLY 2 ACFT THE TWR WAS WORKING.

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.