Narrative:

While flying northwest at approximately 700 ft AGL the DA40 crossed our path; left to right; approximately 30 ft ahead; and 5 ft below the main rotor of the helicopter. I believe the wings of the aircraft may have even passed below the main rotor. The DA40 was in a blind spot on the helicopter (behind the l-hand door frame) and could not be seen until it passed. I didn't have time to take any evasive action. The DA40 passed too quickly. There were several factors which contributed to this near miss. 1) we were crossing the final approach path for runway 4 at ZZZ however we were 4 mi away and below traffic pattern altitude (tpa). Although we were scanning for traffic; we could not see the DA40 as it was in a blind spot. 2) the DA40 was not talking on the correct frequency for ZZZ. After confronting the other pilot; I discovered he was making radio calls on the airport's old CTAF frequency. (Currently it is up-to-date on charts and the airport facilities directory.) 3) the DA40 was not above tpa prior to entry as the aim suggests. Further; the DA40 did not fly a traffic pattern; he landed straight in. 4) upon confronting the DA40 pilot; he clearly demonstrated 2 of the hazardous attitudes listed in multiple FAA pubs: macho and invulnerability. I believe the only way to prevent this type of incident from happening again would be for the DA40 pilot to receive remedial training on airport traffic pattern operations; and the importance of using an up-to-date chart and airport facilities directory for preflight planning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER PILOT REPORTS NMAC AT 700 FEET AGL WITH DA40 FLYING STRAIGHT IN VISUAL TO ZZZ.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING NW AT APPROX 700 FT AGL THE DA40 CROSSED OUR PATH; L TO R; APPROX 30 FT AHEAD; AND 5 FT BELOW THE MAIN ROTOR OF THE HELI. I BELIEVE THE WINGS OF THE ACFT MAY HAVE EVEN PASSED BELOW THE MAIN ROTOR. THE DA40 WAS IN A BLIND SPOT ON THE HELI (BEHIND THE L-HAND DOOR FRAME) AND COULD NOT BE SEEN UNTIL IT PASSED. I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TAKE ANY EVASIVE ACTION. THE DA40 PASSED TOO QUICKLY. THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS NEAR MISS. 1) WE WERE XING THE FINAL APCH PATH FOR RWY 4 AT ZZZ HOWEVER WE WERE 4 MI AWAY AND BELOW TFC PATTERN ALT (TPA). ALTHOUGH WE WERE SCANNING FOR TFC; WE COULD NOT SEE THE DA40 AS IT WAS IN A BLIND SPOT. 2) THE DA40 WAS NOT TALKING ON THE CORRECT FREQ FOR ZZZ. AFTER CONFRONTING THE OTHER PLT; I DISCOVERED HE WAS MAKING RADIO CALLS ON THE ARPT'S OLD CTAF FREQ. (CURRENTLY IT IS UP-TO-DATE ON CHARTS AND THE ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY.) 3) THE DA40 WAS NOT ABOVE TPA PRIOR TO ENTRY AS THE AIM SUGGESTS. FURTHER; THE DA40 DID NOT FLY A TFC PATTERN; HE LANDED STRAIGHT IN. 4) UPON CONFRONTING THE DA40 PLT; HE CLRLY DEMONSTRATED 2 OF THE HAZARDOUS ATTITUDES LISTED IN MULTIPLE FAA PUBS: MACHO AND INVULNERABILITY. I BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN WOULD BE FOR THE DA40 PLT TO RECEIVE REMEDIAL TRAINING ON ARPT TFC PATTERN OPS; AND THE IMPORTANCE OF USING AN UP-TO-DATE CHART AND ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY FOR PREFLT PLANNING.

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.