Light transport and military helicopter have near midair collision in sby traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	84796
Time
Date	198803
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	84796
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 50 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

VFR flight from newport news - handed from wash center to nhk approach. 5 mile from sby nhk advised 'no traffic observed in your area' and we contacted sby FSS and advised them we would be entering a left downwind for runway 14 with a midfield crossing. Over the runway at midfield I observed a spot light moving over the ground right in front of me. The aircraft lights were well camouflaged by city lights. But when I finally saw his red beacon, I had to take drastic evasive action (ie 15 degree pitch up, 90 degree bank to right). I advised sby of the traffic and they said they had no knowledge of the traffic but now saw him too. After we regained control and entered a wide downwind (the other aircraft continued a left turn and crossed the approach end of 14 at pattern altitude) at 1600, the guy in the other aircraft finally came on the radio and reported he had had radio problems but was shooting approachs. Why would he be in the traffic pattern at 1500 AGL in a helicopter shooting VFR approachs? Other aircraft was an army helicopter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT AND MIL HELICOPTER HAVE NMAC IN SBY TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM NEWPORT NEWS - HANDED FROM WASH CENTER TO NHK APCH. 5 MILE FROM SBY NHK ADVISED 'NO TFC OBSERVED IN YOUR AREA' AND WE CONTACTED SBY FSS AND ADVISED THEM WE WOULD BE ENTERING A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 14 WITH A MIDFIELD XING. OVER THE RWY AT MIDFIELD I OBSERVED A SPOT LIGHT MOVING OVER THE GND RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. THE ACFT LIGHTS WERE WELL CAMOUFLAGED BY CITY LIGHTS. BUT WHEN I FINALLY SAW HIS RED BEACON, I HAD TO TAKE DRASTIC EVASIVE ACTION (IE 15 DEG PITCH UP, 90 DEG BANK TO RIGHT). I ADVISED SBY OF THE TFC AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE TFC BUT NOW SAW HIM TOO. AFTER WE REGAINED CONTROL AND ENTERED A WIDE DOWNWIND (THE OTHER ACFT CONTINUED A LEFT TURN AND CROSSED THE APCH END OF 14 AT PATTERN ALT) AT 1600, THE GUY IN THE OTHER ACFT FINALLY CAME ON THE RADIO AND REPORTED HE HAD HAD RADIO PROBLEMS BUT WAS SHOOTING APCHS. WHY WOULD HE BE IN THE TFC PATTERN AT 1500 AGL IN A HELI SHOOTING VFR APCHS? OTHER ACFT WAS AN ARMY HELI.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.