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C172 private pilot and CFI departing 2w6 at night have helicopter at midfield intrude upon their runway while departing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 809698 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200810 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 2w6.airport |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | agl single value : 50 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff ground : takeoff roll |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | ground : taxi |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 225 |
| ASRS Report | 809698 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | incursion : runway |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 100 vertical : 50 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Conditions were night; VFR at 2w6 (st mary's county regional airport) and we (copilot is 700 hour CFI) were practicing night takeoff and lndgs on runway 29. While taxiing back for another takeoff; we noticed a government helicopter with beacon on and pre-flting in the ramp area. Upon reaching the end of the taxiway; we announced our intentions to back taxi the remaining distance to the hold short line of runway 29. After turning perpendicular to runway 29 (and remaining behind the hold short line); I announced our departure intentions. As I crossed the hold short line we both heard a garbled transmission from the helicopter and immediately stopped just before the numbers and asked the helicopter to repeat their last transmission. The next transmission was slightly clrer and we heard the helicopter pilot transmit 'we'll depart after you.' I then repeated what the helicopter pilot had said and that we were 'on the roll departing runway 29.' at about 50 ft AGL we noticed the helicopter was at a midfield taxiway with spinning rotors intruding past the hold short line. I maneuvered to the right (north) to ensure clearance. As we passed over the helicopter; we heard another garbled transmission that sounded something like 'guess you guys didn't hear us.' subsequent xmissions from the helicopter (after airborne) to ATC were loud and clear. While at the approach end of runway 29 we could see the helicopter's lights and beacon; but could not readily identify if it was behind the hold short line at midfield (there is a slight hill that prevents a good view at night).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 PRIVATE PILOT AND CFI DEPARTING 2W6 AT NIGHT HAVE HELICOPTER AT MIDFIELD INTRUDE UPON THEIR RUNWAY WHILE DEPARTING.
Narrative: CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT; VFR AT 2W6 (ST MARY'S COUNTY REGIONAL ARPT) AND WE (COPLT IS 700 HR CFI) WERE PRACTICING NIGHT TKOF AND LNDGS ON RWY 29. WHILE TAXIING BACK FOR ANOTHER TKOF; WE NOTICED A GOV HELI WITH BEACON ON AND PRE-FLTING IN THE RAMP AREA. UPON REACHING THE END OF THE TXWY; WE ANNOUNCED OUR INTENTIONS TO BACK TAXI THE REMAINING DISTANCE TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE OF RWY 29. AFTER TURNING PERPENDICULAR TO RWY 29 (AND REMAINING BEHIND THE HOLD SHORT LINE); I ANNOUNCED OUR DEP INTENTIONS. AS I CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE WE BOTH HEARD A GARBLED XMISSION FROM THE HELI AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED JUST BEFORE THE NUMBERS AND ASKED THE HELI TO REPEAT THEIR LAST XMISSION. THE NEXT XMISSION WAS SLIGHTLY CLRER AND WE HEARD THE HELI PLT XMIT 'WE'LL DEPART AFTER YOU.' I THEN REPEATED WHAT THE HELI PLT HAD SAID AND THAT WE WERE 'ON THE ROLL DEPARTING RWY 29.' AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL WE NOTICED THE HELI WAS AT A MIDFIELD TXWY WITH SPINNING ROTORS INTRUDING PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I MANEUVERED TO THE R (N) TO ENSURE CLRNC. AS WE PASSED OVER THE HELI; WE HEARD ANOTHER GARBLED XMISSION THAT SOUNDED SOMETHING LIKE 'GUESS YOU GUYS DIDN'T HEAR US.' SUBSEQUENT XMISSIONS FROM THE HELI (AFTER AIRBORNE) TO ATC WERE LOUD AND CLR. WHILE AT THE APCH END OF RWY 29 WE COULD SEE THE HELI'S LIGHTS AND BEACON; BUT COULD NOT READILY IDENT IF IT WAS BEHIND THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT MIDFIELD (THERE IS A SLIGHT HILL THAT PREVENTS A GOOD VIEW AT NIGHT).
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.