Close proximity GA small aircraft government helicopter.

Attributes
ACN	98514
Time
Date	198811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sli
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3200 msl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 387
ASRS Report	98514
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 2795
ASRS Report	98771
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft with my instructor sbound approximately 3 miles west of seal beach VORTAC in VFR conditions at 3200' MSL. I was in the left seat my instructor in the right seat. My instructor first spotted the helicopter then I also saw it at our 5 O'clock position paralleling our course approximately 250 to 300'. At the same altitude as us. I immediately took evasive action and made a hard descending left turn. I feel if I had not taken this action there could have possibly been a midair collision over a densely populated area. Four days later I found out from instructor this helicopter possibly could have been a law enforcement helicopter that might have been following our aircraft or someone else's aircraft as we were never notified.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX GA SMA GOV HELICOPTER.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA WITH MY INSTRUCTOR SBOUND APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES WEST OF SEAL BEACH VORTAC IN VFR CONDITIONS AT 3200' MSL. I WAS IN THE LEFT SEAT MY INSTRUCTOR IN THE RIGHT SEAT. MY INSTRUCTOR FIRST SPOTTED THE HELI THEN I ALSO SAW IT AT OUR 5 O'CLOCK POSITION PARALLELING OUR COURSE APPROXIMATELY 250 TO 300'. AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AS US. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND MADE A HARD DESCENDING LEFT TURN. I FEEL IF I HAD NOT TAKEN THIS ACTION THERE COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN A MIDAIR COLLISION OVER A DENSELY POPULATED AREA. FOUR DAYS LATER I FOUND OUT FROM INSTRUCTOR THIS HELI POSSIBLY COULD HAVE BEEN A LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING OUR ACFT OR SOMEONE ELSE'S ACFT AS WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED.

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.