Robinson R-22 pilot has an near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	718966
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 400 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Robinson R22
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	718966
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 10
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was in a robinson R-22; at midfield on the left downwind of runway xxl at 900 ft MSL; 700 ft AGL; when I thought I heard the tower request I turn an early base. The left downwind is close to the runway since for noise abatement procedures we are not allowed to fly west of state route; which runs parallel to runways xx/yy. ATC: helicopter XXX turn early base. XXX: early base midfield. XXX turned left base midfield at 900 ft; then turned final over the middle of the active runway xxl. I knew there was a learjet on the runway and we didn't have very much time to do the approach and get out of there. XXX: tower; do you want me to do a low approach? ATC: low approach? XXX: do you want me to do an automatic to the runway? ATC: yes. XXX entered an autorotation at 900 ft and began descending at around 1500 FPM over runway xxl at midfield. When XXX was about 400 ft MSL (200 ft AGL); the next thing I knew a learjet took off and passed underneath the helicopter about 5-10 ft away. I initiated a power recovery from the autorotation and began a gradual flare; expecting to get bounced by the jet wash. I was able to bring the helicopter to a safe hover 3 ft off the runway and began to take off to join the traffic pattern again. Tower; helicopter XXX; I didn't know you'd cleared a learjet to take off on runway xxl. ATC: (I don't remember the first thing he said) do you want to file a complaint? XXX: no. When I landed; I received a phone call from the ATC controller who was working when the close call happened. He said he never told me to turn an early base. I don't know where I got that from; but I did repeat it back to him before turning base. I think he cleared a departing helicopter to turn early crosswind and I thought he was talking to me. Then he said he didn't know where I was when I entered the automatic -- he thought I was on a normal base; which would have been sufficient distance behind the departing learjet for me to enter an autorotation to the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROBINSON R-22 PLT HAS AN NMAC.

Narrative: I WAS IN A ROBINSON R-22; AT MIDFIELD ON THE L DOWNWIND OF RWY XXL AT 900 FT MSL; 700 FT AGL; WHEN I THOUGHT I HEARD THE TWR REQUEST I TURN AN EARLY BASE. THE L DOWNWIND IS CLOSE TO THE RWY SINCE FOR NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FLY W OF STATE RTE; WHICH RUNS PARALLEL TO RWYS XX/YY. ATC: HELI XXX TURN EARLY BASE. XXX: EARLY BASE MIDFIELD. XXX TURNED L BASE MIDFIELD AT 900 FT; THEN TURNED FINAL OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTIVE RWY XXL. I KNEW THERE WAS A LEARJET ON THE RWY AND WE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MUCH TIME TO DO THE APCH AND GET OUT OF THERE. XXX: TWR; DO YOU WANT ME TO DO A LOW APCH? ATC: LOW APCH? XXX: DO YOU WANT ME TO DO AN AUTO TO THE RWY? ATC: YES. XXX ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION AT 900 FT AND BEGAN DSNDING AT AROUND 1500 FPM OVER RWY XXL AT MIDFIELD. WHEN XXX WAS ABOUT 400 FT MSL (200 FT AGL); THE NEXT THING I KNEW A LEARJET TOOK OFF AND PASSED UNDERNEATH THE HELI ABOUT 5-10 FT AWAY. I INITIATED A PWR RECOVERY FROM THE AUTOROTATION AND BEGAN A GRADUAL FLARE; EXPECTING TO GET BOUNCED BY THE JET WASH. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE HELI TO A SAFE HOVER 3 FT OFF THE RWY AND BEGAN TO TAKE OFF TO JOIN THE TFC PATTERN AGAIN. TWR; HELI XXX; I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'D CLRED A LEARJET TO TAKE OFF ON RWY XXL. ATC: (I DON'T REMEMBER THE FIRST THING HE SAID) DO YOU WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT? XXX: NO. WHEN I LANDED; I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE ATC CTLR WHO WAS WORKING WHEN THE CLOSE CALL HAPPENED. HE SAID HE NEVER TOLD ME TO TURN AN EARLY BASE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I GOT THAT FROM; BUT I DID REPEAT IT BACK TO HIM BEFORE TURNING BASE. I THINK HE CLRED A DEPARTING HELI TO TURN EARLY XWIND AND I THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING TO ME. THEN HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS WHEN I ENTERED THE AUTO -- HE THOUGHT I WAS ON A NORMAL BASE; WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT DISTANCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING LEARJET FOR ME TO ENTER AN AUTOROTATION TO THE RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.