PIPER CHEROKEE PLT ENCOUNTERS A HELI ON FINAL AND TAKES EVASIVE ACTION AND LANDED AT BVS.
Synopsis
PIPER CHEROKEE PLT ENCOUNTERS A HELI ON FINAL AND TAKES EVASIVE ACTION AND LANDED AT BVS.
Narrative
I ANNOUNCED I WAS ON LEFT BASE TO LAND ON RWY 04. THERE WERE 2 OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN FOR THE OTHER RWY ON 28. WHEN I WAS ON A QUARTER MILE FINAL; I NOTICED THE HELI HOVERING OVER THE RWY. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS TO LAND SEVERAL TIMES AND ASKED IF THE HELI HEARD ME. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. AFTERWARD HE SAID HE HADN'T HEARD ME; EITHER. OUR TRANSMISSIONS MAY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED BY OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN. I WAS ON DESCENT AT THIS POINT READY TO LAND AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT DOING A SHARP BANK IN EITHER DIRECTION BECAUSE OF OTHER TFC IN PATTERN AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A STALL. I FELT AT THIS TIME THE SAFEST EVASIVE ACTION TO TAKE WAS TO MAKE A SHARP DESCENT UNDER THE HOVERING HELI AND LAND; WHICH I DID. THE HELI PLT THINKS HE WAS APPROX 100 FT AGL AT THE TIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAPPEN IN ALL THE YEARS I'VE FLOWN. WHAT CAUSED THE PROB WAS NO COMMUNICATIONS WERE BEING RECEIVED BY EITHER PLT. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT CONDUCTING A SHARP BANKING TURN AND FELT I HAD ADEQUATE CLRNC TO GET UNDER THE HELI. WHAT I COULD DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE IS TO USE THE RWY THAT OTHER TFC WAS USING AT THE TIME. THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A HOVERING HELI ON AN ACTIVE USE RWY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.