PLT OF SMA MUST SIDESTEP TO GRASS RWY TO AVOID A HELI WHICH HAS LANDED AND THEN HOVERS OVER THE PAVED RWY WITH ACFT ON FINAL.

Date: 1997-09 · Aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer

Anomalies: conflict-ground-conflict|less-severe|other-unspecified

Synopsis

PLT OF SMA MUST SIDESTEP TO GRASS RWY TO AVOID A HELI WHICH HAS LANDED AND THEN HOVERS OVER THE PAVED RWY WITH ACFT ON FINAL.

Narrative

THE ENSTROM HELI AHEAD OF ME IN THE LNDG PATTERN LANDED AND HOVERED OVER THE HARD SURFACE RWY WHILE I WAS ON FINAL APCH. I ASSUMED THE ENSTROM WOULD MOVE OFF THE RWY AND CONTINUED MY APCH. THE ENSTROM TURNED 90 DEGS TO THE R (THE DIRECTION OF THE RAMP AND OFFICE). I ASSUMED THE PLT SAW ME ON FINAL APCH; AND I DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE APCH. THE ENSTROM TURNED BACK TO THE RWY HDG. THE PAVED RWY HAS A GRASS RWY ON THE L SIDE ADJACENT TO IT (THE OPPOSITE SIDE FROM THE RAMP AND OFFICE) WHICH SAILPLANES; AND THE TOWPLANE I WAS FLYING; USE. I CHOSE TO LAND ON THE GRASS PORTION OF THE RWY AND ROLL OUT BESIDE THE ENSTROM. I BELIEVED THIS WAS SAFER THAN A GAR SINCE I WAS ON SHORT FINAL AND IF THE ENSTROM ROSE/CLBED; IT MIGHT CLB INTO THE TOWPLANE. I LANDED AND ROLLED OUT BESIDE THE ENSTROM. I PULLED OFF THE L SIDE OF THE RWY AND THE ENSTROM TOOK OFF AND DEPARTED. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE WIND; AND WHEN THE ENSTROM WAS HOVERING; IT WAS VERY STEADY. THE ENSTROM USES N57 FOR TRAINING AND KNOWS THE TOWPLANE AND SAILPLANES USE THE GRASS PORTION OF THE RWY. ANALYSIS: HELIS AND SINGLE ENG PLANES HAVE MUCH DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS. THE AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED TO FLY A LNDG PATTERN OR LNDG IS DIFFERENT. THE AIRPLANE PLT MUST BE PATIENT AND FLY SAFELY; AND MUST NOT INSIST ON RIGHT-OF- WAY OR INTENDED COURSE OF ACTION. ADEQUATE SEPARATION MUST ALWAYS BE MAINTAINED EVEN IF ABORTING THE APCH AND GOING AROUND ARE REQUIRED. THE PRACTICE OF AIRPLANES TAXIING IN THE GRASS BESIDE THE PAVED RWY WHILE OTHER AIRPLANES ARE TAKING OFF AND LNDG IS SIMILAR TO THIS NEAR MISS; AND SHOULD BE CHANGED. THERE IS ROOM FOR ACFT TO MOVE COMPLETELY OFF THE PAVED AND GRASS RWY (OUTSIDE THE LNDG LIGHTS). I WAS TAUGHT TO CLR THE RWY; NOT TO SIT ON IT OR BLOCK IT WAITING TO TKOF OR AFTER LNDG. HELIS SHOULD NOT DO A LNDG APCH AND THEN REMAIN OVER THE RWY IN A HOVER. HELIS SHOULD HOVER OFF THE RWY. N57 HAS PLENTY OF SPACE OFF THE RWY TO PRACTICE HOVERING. TEACHING NEW HELI PLTS TO HOVER ON THE RWY (WITH THE HELI ORIENTED SO THE PLT CANNOT SEE PLANES ON APCH) IS WRONG SINCE IT MAY CREATE THE CONFLICT DESCRIBED. SAILPLANES CANNOT GAR AND MUST LAND BESIDE OR OVER THE HELI.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.