Narrative:

Today; I had a customer with a private pilot certificate who called upon my services and experience; to assist him with a flight through the hudson river corridor. The flight went smoothly and much like all the other flts I had flown along this corridor; until we passed over the george washington bridge. As we were approaching the bridge northbound; we noticed a formation of 2 piper supercubs approaching in the opposite direction; sbound. They announced their position and stated that they were at 1000 ft. However; it seemed as if they were lower than what they had stated. In order to ensure the safety of all parties involved; I felt that as PIC of my aircraft it was necessary to remain at a lower altitude than I would have normally flown. However; not being certain that the other aircraft had me in sight; I felt that it was necessary to maintain as much visual separation as safely possible. While this complication forced me to remain at a lower altitude than I would have liked; I still felt that the altitude I chose ensured the safety of all persons involved. As soon as I verified that the traffic was safely behind me; I immediately climbed to a higher; more comfortable altitude. It was at this time that a port authority/authorized police department helicopter announced that he was just off my left wing and proceeded to ask me for my tail number. In compliance with his request I immediately stated my tail number back to him. I then asked him if I had done something wrong; and received no response from the police helicopter. Seconds later the helicopter broke to the left and flew out of sight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT IS INTERCEPTED BY A NYC POLICE HELI WHILE FLYING IN THE VFR HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR.

Narrative: TODAY; I HAD A CUSTOMER WITH A PVT PLT CERTIFICATE WHO CALLED UPON MY SVCS AND EXPERIENCE; TO ASSIST HIM WITH A FLT THROUGH THE HUDSON RIVER CORRIDOR. THE FLT WENT SMOOTHLY AND MUCH LIKE ALL THE OTHER FLTS I HAD FLOWN ALONG THIS CORRIDOR; UNTIL WE PASSED OVER THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE. AS WE WERE APCHING THE BRIDGE NBOUND; WE NOTICED A FORMATION OF 2 PIPER SUPERCUBS APCHING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION; SBOUND. THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR POS AND STATED THAT THEY WERE AT 1000 FT. HOWEVER; IT SEEMED AS IF THEY WERE LOWER THAN WHAT THEY HAD STATED. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ALL PARTIES INVOLVED; I FELT THAT AS PIC OF MY ACFT IT WAS NECESSARY TO REMAIN AT A LOWER ALT THAN I WOULD HAVE NORMALLY FLOWN. HOWEVER; NOT BEING CERTAIN THAT THE OTHER ACFT HAD ME IN SIGHT; I FELT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN AS MUCH VISUAL SEPARATION AS SAFELY POSSIBLE. WHILE THIS COMPLICATION FORCED ME TO REMAIN AT A LOWER ALT THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED; I STILL FELT THAT THE ALT I CHOSE ENSURED THE SAFETY OF ALL PERSONS INVOLVED. AS SOON AS I VERIFIED THAT THE TFC WAS SAFELY BEHIND ME; I IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO A HIGHER; MORE COMFORTABLE ALT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT A PORT AUTH POLICE DEPT HELI ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS JUST OFF MY L WING AND PROCEEDED TO ASK ME FOR MY TAIL NUMBER. IN COMPLIANCE WITH HIS REQUEST I IMMEDIATELY STATED MY TAIL NUMBER BACK TO HIM. I THEN ASKED HIM IF I HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG; AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE POLICE HELI. SECONDS LATER THE HELI BROKE TO THE L AND FLEW OUT OF SIGHT.

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.