Narrative:

I contacted ama approach control at erica intersection (4200 ft MSL -- helicopter) inbound to ama with request to overfly reconnaissance location (future landing zone) located on loop 335 near race track (approximately 3-4 NM south of airport) and return to airport for ramp landing. Approach control advised remain clear of class C; proceed toward reconnaissance area. I advised approach controller location of reconnaissance area with class C airspace. Approach controller issued proceed to reconnaissance area remain clear of runway 31 approach path. I advised approach controller reconnaissance location was 12 O'clock position; 3 mi and would require crossing runway 31 approach path. Approach controller replied 'unable' with no further instruction. I brought helicopter to hover at 4200 ft MSL and requested cross ama midfield and proceed parallel runway 22 (closed for taxiway repair). After approximately 30-45 second delay; approach controller issued climb to 5500 ft MSL or above and proceed direct to reconnaissance location. I climbed initially to 5700 ft and proceeded direct reconnaissance location at 5500 ft MSL. Approach controller issued citation traffic inbound from west at 6000 ft MSL. I responded searching. Citation responded do not have traffic. I observed citation approximately 1 mi west on collision course slightly above the helicopter. I advised controller citation was in sight and I was descending for conflict. I took evasive action by entering rapid descent to 4800 ft MSL. Controller advised delete altitude restr. Upon reaching reconnaissance area I made 2 orbits at 4200 ft MSL; advised approach controller ready to proceed to airport ramp; I was advised contact tower; and was cleared by tower for direct return to ramp for landing. The approach controller was working several military training aircraft and limited to a single runway 31/13 due to construction closing runway 22/4. Due to the reconnaissance nature of the overflt; I was unable to provide a 'radar screen or overlay identifiable' specific location other than a cultural (road/landmark) reference and an approximately bearing and distance from my aircraft. In my opinion; the best procedure was to hand my aircraft off to the tower controller upon reaching the inner class C airspace with continued low level flight (4200 ft MSL) across the first third or midfield point of runway 31/13 direct to the reconnaissance location to avoid fixed wing traffic flow. I believe the approach controller was frustrated with pressure of multiple military training flts compressed onto runway 31 as well as the position of my aircraft which was dictated by the initial instruction to remain clear of the inner class C airspace and the resulting need to cross the approach path for runway 31 to proceed to the reconnaissance location.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT DESCRIBED CONFLICT AT 5500 INBOUND TO AMA WHEN APCH CTL HANDLING REPORTEDLY CONTRIBUTED TO INCIDENT.

Narrative: I CONTACTED AMA APCH CTL AT ERICA INTXN (4200 FT MSL -- HELI) INBOUND TO AMA WITH REQUEST TO OVERFLY RECONNAISSANCE LOCATION (FUTURE LNDG ZONE) LOCATED ON LOOP 335 NEAR RACE TRACK (APPROX 3-4 NM S OF ARPT) AND RETURN TO ARPT FOR RAMP LNDG. APCH CTL ADVISED REMAIN CLR OF CLASS C; PROCEED TOWARD RECONNAISSANCE AREA. I ADVISED APCH CTLR LOCATION OF RECONNAISSANCE AREA WITH CLASS C AIRSPACE. APCH CTLR ISSUED PROCEED TO RECONNAISSANCE AREA REMAIN CLR OF RWY 31 APCH PATH. I ADVISED APCH CTLR RECONNAISSANCE LOCATION WAS 12 O'CLOCK POS; 3 MI AND WOULD REQUIRE XING RWY 31 APCH PATH. APCH CTLR REPLIED 'UNABLE' WITH NO FURTHER INSTRUCTION. I BROUGHT HELI TO HOVER AT 4200 FT MSL AND REQUESTED CROSS AMA MIDFIELD AND PROCEED PARALLEL RWY 22 (CLOSED FOR TXWY REPAIR). AFTER APPROX 30-45 SECOND DELAY; APCH CTLR ISSUED CLB TO 5500 FT MSL OR ABOVE AND PROCEED DIRECT TO RECONNAISSANCE LOCATION. I CLBED INITIALLY TO 5700 FT AND PROCEEDED DIRECT RECONNAISSANCE LOCATION AT 5500 FT MSL. APCH CTLR ISSUED CITATION TFC INBOUND FROM W AT 6000 FT MSL. I RESPONDED SEARCHING. CITATION RESPONDED DO NOT HAVE TFC. I OBSERVED CITATION APPROX 1 MI W ON COLLISION COURSE SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE HELI. I ADVISED CTLR CITATION WAS IN SIGHT AND I WAS DSNDING FOR CONFLICT. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY ENTERING RAPID DSCNT TO 4800 FT MSL. CTLR ADVISED DELETE ALT RESTR. UPON REACHING RECONNAISSANCE AREA I MADE 2 ORBITS AT 4200 FT MSL; ADVISED APCH CTLR READY TO PROCEED TO ARPT RAMP; I WAS ADVISED CONTACT TWR; AND WAS CLRED BY TWR FOR DIRECT RETURN TO RAMP FOR LNDG. THE APCH CTLR WAS WORKING SEVERAL MIL TRAINING ACFT AND LIMITED TO A SINGLE RWY 31/13 DUE TO CONSTRUCTION CLOSING RWY 22/4. DUE TO THE RECONNAISSANCE NATURE OF THE OVERFLT; I WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A 'RADAR SCREEN OR OVERLAY IDENTIFIABLE' SPECIFIC LOCATION OTHER THAN A CULTURAL (ROAD/LANDMARK) REF AND AN APPROX BEARING AND DISTANCE FROM MY ACFT. IN MY OPINION; THE BEST PROC WAS TO HAND MY ACFT OFF TO THE TWR CTLR UPON REACHING THE INNER CLASS C AIRSPACE WITH CONTINUED LOW LEVEL FLT (4200 FT MSL) ACROSS THE FIRST THIRD OR MIDFIELD POINT OF RWY 31/13 DIRECT TO THE RECONNAISSANCE LOCATION TO AVOID FIXED WING TFC FLOW. I BELIEVE THE APCH CTLR WAS FRUSTRATED WITH PRESSURE OF MULTIPLE MIL TRAINING FLTS COMPRESSED ONTO RWY 31 AS WELL AS THE POS OF MY ACFT WHICH WAS DICTATED BY THE INITIAL INSTRUCTION TO REMAIN CLR OF THE INNER CLASS C AIRSPACE AND THE RESULTING NEED TO CROSS THE APCH PATH FOR RWY 31 TO PROCEED TO THE RECONNAISSANCE LOCATION.

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.