Jet/Long Ranger/206
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Rotorcraft; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 3150; Flight Crew Type 3150
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
While enroute to assigned base on a southwest heading; a crop duster popped up at my 12 o'clock. I was approximately 5 miles or so southwest of AWM. I don't know exactly the distance; but it was within 500 feet. At no time while enroute to base did myself or the nurse or paramedic see the crop-duster. Normally we will see them off to our left or right or in front of us. The way in which this one appear suddenly indicated to me that it must have come from behind our aircraft.When I saw the crop-duster; it was flying straight up in the air like they normally do after they have made a pass spraying chemicals. It appeared that it had come from either directly underneath us or perhaps to our left rear quarter area. Upon seeing the crop duster I turned to the south because the crop duster was drifting to the north. If the crop duster came from behind and/or underneath our aircraft; I don't know what I could have done to see him ahead of time. We always are on guard for crop dusters in our area because they frequent our flying areas. If this one was flying around during our pathway back to the base; we did not notice him like we normally notice the crop dusters. It is possible he could have taken off from behind us after we passed that area; or been behind some trees. We normally see the crop dusters well in advance. This is the first time in flying in crop dusting areas that this type incident has occurred. I think that even if I had been a few hundred feet higher we still would have encountered the crop duster as he was flying up; but I will make a point to fly even higher to lessen the chances of this occurring again. At the same time I think it is important for crop dusters to be more aware because if it had come from behind us he should have seen us; but at the same time I understand that they probably don't look up in the air as they are spraying. I believe that if I fly even higher and continue to be vigilant (as we always are to crop dusters in the area) I think this can reduce the chances of this occurring again.
Helicopter pilot reported an NMAC with a crop duster in the vicinity of AWM airport.