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Small aircraft pilot lands over a small helicopter which was not idented as such due to its black color blending in with the runway.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 637696 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200411 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mjx.airport |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing : roll |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 620 flight time type : 620 |
| ASRS Report | 637696 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical incursion : runway non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On making an approach to runway 24 at miller airport, nj, I saw nothing unusual. As I flew closer I noticed what I thought was some debris about 200 ft down the runway. I extended my glide and landed. Runway is about 6000 ft long. What was on the runway was a small black helicopter. The runway is black asphalt. The 2 blended in together, also the glare of the direct sun made vision more difficult. Had I known it was a helicopter on the runway I would have gone around. I do not want to compromise safety. My only suggestion is that all black helicopter's should have additional identing colors (white), etc, so that they can be seen better.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT LANDS OVER A SMALL HELI WHICH WAS NOT IDENTED AS SUCH DUE TO ITS BLACK COLOR BLENDING IN WITH THE RWY.
Narrative: ON MAKING AN APCH TO RWY 24 AT MILLER ARPT, NJ, I SAW NOTHING UNUSUAL. AS I FLEW CLOSER I NOTICED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOME DEBRIS ABOUT 200 FT DOWN THE RWY. I EXTENDED MY GLIDE AND LANDED. RWY IS ABOUT 6000 FT LONG. WHAT WAS ON THE RWY WAS A SMALL BLACK HELI. THE RWY IS BLACK ASPHALT. THE 2 BLENDED IN TOGETHER, ALSO THE GLARE OF THE DIRECT SUN MADE VISION MORE DIFFICULT. HAD I KNOWN IT WAS A HELI ON THE RWY I WOULD HAVE GONE AROUND. I DO NOT WANT TO COMPROMISE SAFETY. MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS THAT ALL BLACK HELI'S SHOULD HAVE ADDITIONAL IDENTING COLORS (WHITE), ETC, SO THAT THEY CAN BE SEEN BETTER.
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.