Narrative:

This event occurred last summer here on kauai and I should have reported it back then; but I only recently found out how easy (and important) it is to report these events. I departed lihue airport on kauai; hi; with a helicopter on a 50 min sightseeing tour with 6 passenger. About 20 mins into the flight we entered the waimea canyon. It is one of our main attractions and it is part of the tour for all the sightseeing companies. We have 9 helicopter companies with a total of about 23 helicopter's here on this small island which is almost round with a 30 mi diameter. That time there must have been at least 6 helicopter's in this canyon within a 2 mi radius. I was distraction and lost track of some of the helicopter's in the area. At the end of a box canyon I climbed to clear the back of the canyon. At the same time another helicopter crossed immediately above our helicopter from left to right and very close. I stopped our climb and contacted the other pilot via radio. Apparently he was not aware of our close proximity. We both continued our tour. This was not an isolated incident. I have flown on this island for almost 3 yrs. I have flown on the big island; hi; and in los angeles. This place; is by far the most dangerous in regards to air traffic. WX is a big challenge here too and there have been several WX related crashes here over the yrs; but only 1 midair collision which did not result in a crash. I believe that we will have a midair collision on this island within the next few yrs unless we get help in the form of a mandatory TCAS or ads-B system. Right now we are only relying on see-and-avoid and position reports via radio.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT RPTS NMAC DURING COMMERCIAL SIGHT-SEEING FLT. ADVISES EXPOSURE TO SUCH INCIDENTS IS HIGH IN THIS LOCATION.

Narrative: THIS EVENT OCCURRED LAST SUMMER HERE ON KAUAI AND I SHOULD HAVE RPTED IT BACK THEN; BUT I ONLY RECENTLY FOUND OUT HOW EASY (AND IMPORTANT) IT IS TO RPT THESE EVENTS. I DEPARTED LIHUE ARPT ON KAUAI; HI; WITH A HELI ON A 50 MIN SIGHTSEEING TOUR WITH 6 PAX. ABOUT 20 MINS INTO THE FLT WE ENTERED THE WAIMEA CANYON. IT IS ONE OF OUR MAIN ATTRACTIONS AND IT IS PART OF THE TOUR FOR ALL THE SIGHTSEEING COMPANIES. WE HAVE 9 HELI COMPANIES WITH A TOTAL OF ABOUT 23 HELI'S HERE ON THIS SMALL ISLAND WHICH IS ALMOST ROUND WITH A 30 MI DIAMETER. THAT TIME THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 6 HELI'S IN THIS CANYON WITHIN A 2 MI RADIUS. I WAS DISTR AND LOST TRACK OF SOME OF THE HELI'S IN THE AREA. AT THE END OF A BOX CANYON I CLBED TO CLR THE BACK OF THE CANYON. AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER HELI CROSSED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE OUR HELI FROM L TO R AND VERY CLOSE. I STOPPED OUR CLB AND CONTACTED THE OTHER PLT VIA RADIO. APPARENTLY HE WAS NOT AWARE OF OUR CLOSE PROX. WE BOTH CONTINUED OUR TOUR. THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I HAVE FLOWN ON THIS ISLAND FOR ALMOST 3 YRS. I HAVE FLOWN ON THE BIG ISLAND; HI; AND IN LOS ANGELES. THIS PLACE; IS BY FAR THE MOST DANGEROUS IN REGARDS TO AIR TFC. WX IS A BIG CHALLENGE HERE TOO AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL WX RELATED CRASHES HERE OVER THE YRS; BUT ONLY 1 MIDAIR COLLISION WHICH DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH. I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL HAVE A MIDAIR COLLISION ON THIS ISLAND WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YRS UNLESS WE GET HELP IN THE FORM OF A MANDATORY TCAS OR ADS-B SYS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE ONLY RELYING ON SEE-AND-AVOID AND POS RPTS VIA RADIO.

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.