What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A helicopter (R-22) was practicing steep approaches and maximum performance takeoffs in the traffic pattern . Helicopter pilot had announced that she was preparing for a vertical takeoff, and she stated that she had not heard any other traffic in the pattern recently. As she began to pull the collective for liftoff, she heard the noise of an aircraft. She lowered the collective to abort the takeoff, and she was then overflown by a Piper arrow. Helicopter pilot claimed that the aircraft missed her by 10 maybe 20 feet. Witness accounts and video appear to confirm close call.
Accounts of flight instructor and student in the Piper arrow claim that they made a radio call by for the 45 degree entry to the downwind. They also claim to have made their calls for base and final. They state that they heard her call right base after they called left base, and they were looking to the right. They did not see her turn base and final inside of them, as she was practicing steep approaches.
The helicopter pilot was then briefly sitting on the runway and they did not see the black helicopter on the black runway.
Student had turned final at about 300'. Approaching the threshold, the student told the instructor that he thought that something was on the runway. The instructor identified that it was a helicopter, and took the controls and initiated a sidestepp and a go-around.
As the FAA filed it
A HELICOPTER (R-22) WAS PRACTICING STEEP APPROACHES AND MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TAKEOFFS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN . HELICOPTER PILOT HAD ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WAS PREPARING FOR A VERTICAL TAKEOFF, AND SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD NOT HEARD ANY OTHER TRAFFIC IN THE PATTERN RECENTLY. AS SHE BEGAN TO PULL THE COLLECTIVE FOR LIFTOFF, SHE HEARD THE NOISE OF AN AIRCRAFT. SHE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, AND SHE WAS THEN OVERFLOWN BY A PIPER ARROW. HELICOPTER PILOT CLAIMED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MISSED HER BY 10 MAYBE 20 FEET. WITNESS ACCOUNTS AND VIDEO APPEAR TO CONFIRM CLOSE CALL.
ACCOUNTS OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT IN THE PIPER ARROW CLAIM THAT THEY MADE A RADIO CALL BY FOR THE 45 DEGREE ENTRY TO THE DOWNWIND. THEY ALSO CLAIM TO HAVE MADE THEIR CALLS FOR BASE AND FINAL. THEY STATE THAT THEY HEARD HER CALL RIGHT BASE AFTER THEY CALLED LEFT BASE, AND THEY WERE LOOKING TO THE RIGHT. THEY DID NOT SEE HER TURN BASE AND FINAL INSIDE OF THEM, AS SHE WAS PRACTICING STEEP APPROACHES.
THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS THEN BRIEFLY SITTING ON THE RUNWAY AND THEY DID NOT SEE THE BLACK HELICOPTER ON THE BLACK RUNWAY.
STUDENT HAD TURNED FINAL AT ABOUT 300'. APPROACHING THE THRESHOLD, THE STUDENT TOLD THE INSTRUCTOR THAT HE THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING WAS ON THE RUNWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR IDENTIFIED THAT IT WAS A HELICOPTER, AND TOOK THE CONTROLS AND INITIATED A SIDESTEPP AND A GO-AROUND.
Other reports on N7716C · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.