RV4 LNDG 7FL6 EXECUTES GAR BECAUSE OF HELI OP.
Synopsis
RV4 LNDG 7FL6 EXECUTES GAR BECAUSE OF HELI OP.
Narrative
I WAS RETURNING TO 7FL6 TO LAND IN MY RV4. I HEARD A HELI IN THE PATTERN. I CALLED A 3 MI INITIAL FOR RWY 5. (I DID NOT REALIZE AT THAT TIME THAT MY XMITTER WAS NOT WORKING. ON TAXI OUT; I KEYED THE MIKE 3 TIMES TO ACTIVATE THE PARIS SYS AND IT WORKED.) I OBSERVED THE HELI TURNING BASE TO FINAL AHEAD AND WELL BELOW ME AS I WAS ABOUT 1 MI OUT ON INITIAL. I CALLED THE L BRAKE OVER THE END OF THE RWY; CALLED TURNING BASE AND FINAL. TURNING FINAL I COULD SEE THE HELI IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY; ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN. I COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS ON THE GND OR HOVERING. I SLOWED TO MINIMUM APCH SPD AND CONTINUED; THINKING HE WOULD EITHER TAKE OFF OR TAXI CLR OF THE RWY. ON SHORT FINAL; IT WAS APPARENT HE WAS NOT GOING TO CLR; SO I INITIATED A GAR. BECAUSE OF MY MINIMUM APCH SPD AND THE NECESSITY TO GET THE FLAPS UP FOR CLB; MY INITIAL CLB RATE WAS FAIRLY LOW. THE CHOICE WAS TO MAINTAIN SPD AND CLB; BUT PROBABLY LOSE SIGHT OF THE HELI AND NOT BE ABLE TO MANEUVER IF REQUIRED; OR ACCELERATE; KEEP THE HELI IN SIGHT; AND BE ABLE TO MANEUVER IF REQUIRED. I CHOSE TO ACCELERATE AND BE ABLE TO MANEUVER. I FLEW LINED UP ON THE R EDGE OF THE RWY (175 FT WIDE) WHERE I COULD KEEP THE HELI IN SIGHT AND PASSED ABEAM THE HELI WELL ABOVE IT. THE HELI PLT CALLED ON THE RADIO AND WHEN I TRIED TO ANSWER HIM; I SOON REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT XMITTING. NONE OF MY PREVIOUS XMISSIONS REQUIRED A REPLY; SO I WAS UNAWARE OF THE XMITTER NOT WORKING. IF HE HAD HEARD ME TURNING BASE AND FINAL; I AM SURE HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SITTING ON THE RWY. FURTHERMORE; IF HE HAD COMPLIED WITH THE AIRMAN INFO MANUAL PARAGRAPH 4-3-20; 'EXITING THE RWY AFTER LNDG;' HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON THE RWY. THE HELI PLT THOUGHT THAT I 'BUZZED' HIM ON THE GAR AND WAS VERY UPSET. I ASSURED HIM THAT I HAD NO INTENTION OF 'BUZZING' HIM BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT. HE WAS IRATE AND REFUSED TO DISCUSS IT. IT IS ALWAYS REGRETTABLE WHEN A MISUNDERSTANDING OCCURS; BUT AT NO TIME DID I ALLOW SAFETY TO BE COMPROMISED. HAD MY RADIO XMITTER BEEN WORKING; OR IF I HAD REALIZED SOONER THAT IT WAS NOT WORKING; OR IF THE HELI PLT HAD CLRED THE RWY AFTER LNDG; THE WHOLE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.