NASA · Aviation Safety Reporting System
GA pilot reported an NMAC with a helicopter during departure from SUS airport requiring evasive action to avoid a possible collision.
What is ASRS?
The Aviation Safety Reporting System is NASA's voluntary, confidential, non- punitive incident-reporting system, established 1976. Pilots, controllers, dispatchers, and maintenance technicians file reports describing safety- relevant events. NASA de-identifies every report before adding it to the public database. Reports are not investigated by NASA, the FAA, or the NTSB — they represent the reporter's perspective.
Pilot narrative
Verbatim from the de-identified NASA record. First-person account by the
reporter. NASA strips identifying details (names, company, specific time);
anonymization placeholders are ZZZ,
X, Y.
I was cleared for takeoff, runway heading, and as I reached near the end of the runway a helicopter appeared from below at my 2 o'clock, and was climbing in my direction. I evaded encroachment by putting the nose down and continuing below as they climbed. I can't honestly state the distance, as it was a quick situation. However, I believe it was well within 500 feet. As I regained climbing I checked to see that I was on runway heading, and I was. I hadn't veered to the north and caused the hazard. After continuing climbing I continued the flight without issue or concern.
NASA classification — Anomalies
- Conflict
- Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural
NASA classification — Assessments
- Contributing Factors / Situations
- Human Factors
- Primary Problem
- Human Factors
ASRS reports are voluntarily submitted, de-identified by NASA, and represent the reporter's perspective. The presence of reports on a topic cannot be used to infer prevalence in the National Airspace System. The authoritative source is the NASA ASRS Database Online at asrs.arc.nasa.gov ↗.