Helicopter
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 175; Flight Crew Total 3800; Flight Crew Type 450
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Human Factors
On an instruction flight in a helicopter; my student was on the controls on final approach at 300 feet AGL to Taxiway B parallel Runway 35; a fixed wing aircraft executed a practice power-off 180 to Runway 35 (Taxiway B is to the west of Runway 35; the aircraft would be crossing our flight path to make it to Runway 35). Upon hearing his radio call; the other aircraft was at my 10 o'clock and descending into my flight path. I then took controls from my student; descended to 100 feet AGL while making a left turn to the west to avoid the path of the aircraft. I made a radio call to the other aircraft; 'I guess I'll get out of your way; helicopter Y is short final Bravo parallel 35.' I told the pilot of the other aircraft over the radio; 'You need to listen for us; I made a base and final radio call.' He replied; 'I'm sorry; I thought you were further on the approach.' While a midair was avoided in a controlled manner; it could have be a potential accident had I not taken evasive action to descend below the other aircraft's flight path as he was turning a tight base to final.To avoid these situations:Closer attention to position of traffic in the pattern; specifically helicopters on final as they land on Taxiway B parallel Runway 35 to avoid the flow of fixed wing traffic.Visual contact of the helicopter traffic should be made or radio contact with the helicopter to confirm the position of helicopter traffic prior to executing practice power-off 180 landings to Runway 35. Flying in the right pattern for Runway 35 while helicopters are in the pattern will greatly reduce the potential of overflight/mid-air collision.
A helicopter instructor took control of the aircraft to take evasive action during a near miss with a fixed wing aircraft whose pilot was performing an emergency return training maneuver.