Jet/Long Ranger/206
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Rotorcraft
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 60; Flight Crew Total 1000; Flight Crew Type 800
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
I was sitting in the left seat of a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter; instructing another pilot; no others were on board. We had a near miss with a fixed wing aircraft. Both aircraft were taking off; the Bell 206 was at the North Pad; and the airplane was taking off from Runway 26 (the North Pad helicopter training area is just north of Runway 26; sits just short of mid-runway; and the upwind leg of the North Pad is parallel to the upwind leg of Runway 26). Prior to the near miss; the Bell 206 reported 'On the go' to the tower; and received clearance to perform a right closed traffic pattern. Immediately following the Bell 206's clearance; the airplane was cleared for takeoff on Runway 26 with a right turn out; and the airplane pilot was alerted by the tower of a helicopter operating at the North Pad. The airplane pilot reported 'helicopter in sight; maintain visual.' The Bell 206 was climbing upwind at 60 knots; the airplane was traveling upwind at a faster takeoff speed (aircraft traveling parallel to each other); as the airplane began to overtake the Bell 206; the airplane began drifting right of Runway 26; towards the Bell 206; and then the airplane initiated their right turn (prior to the end of the runway). The tower alerted the plane 'Do not make your right turn prior to the end of the runway.' Simultaneously; the copilot of the Bell 206 spotted the plane out of the left window at the 8 to 9 o'clock position; overtaking and turning towards the Bell 206. Upon seeing the airplane; the Bell 206 copilot immediately began to make a 90 degree right turn; beginning the crosswind leg of their pattern earlier than expected (over farmland; no danger resulted in this turn). The plane stopped their right turn at the tower's direction; and continued to the end of the runway before turning right. No further communication was made by the airplane; the Bell 206; or the tower. It is estimated that the airplane came within 150 feet of the Bell 206. Both aircraft were at approximately 250 feet AGL when the Bell 206 spotted the airplane.
Helicopter instructor pilot reports a NMAC with a fixed wing aircraft after both craft had been cleared for takeoff by the Tower. The fixed wing pilot had reported the helicopter in sight but begin a right crosswind turn before he was well past the helicopter.