Pilot performing wingovers while descending encountered a helicopter flying at treetop level. Helicopter pilot saw PPG first and took evasive action, passing 500-700 feet away horizontally. No collision or injuries.
Midair collision / Near Miss
High — very likely identified
Pilot was performing wingovers while descending into a field for low flying near sunset. A small helicopter was flying at approximately 150 feet altitude in the same direction. Due to low light conditions, lack of lighting on the dark-colored helicopter, and the helicopter flying against dark trees, the pilot did not initially see the helicopter. The helicopter pilot saw the PPG pilot first (who had strobe on and visible yellow/orange wing) and increased altitude while shifting away, passing approximately 500-700 feet away horizontally and slightly higher. The PPG pilot then turned 90 degrees away and ascended to avoid potential rotor turbulence. No rotor was encountered. Wind was nil. Pilot had made radio calls before takeoff and had heard the helicopter on air band before launch but was unaware of its position. Helicopter did not show on FlightRadar24 or ADSB, likely due to low altitude.
Low light conditions near sunset, lack of helicopter lighting, helicopter not visible on ADSB/radar due to low altitude, dark-colored helicopter against dark trees making visual detection difficult from above, lack of recent radio communication about positions.
Not deployed
Mostly correct inputs while reacting
November 21, 2022
16:55:00
United States
Lancaster, South Carolina
Footlaunch
Parajet Maverick
Vittorazi Atom-80
Ozone
Roadster 3
24
54 years old, 155 lbs, male, PPG 2 rated, 50+ hours experience
Fly nearby
1.5 m/s
Light and variable, 1-5 mph
Evening, low light near sunset, nil wind
We have a few small helicopters in my area that frequently fly at tree-top level. In this incident, I was doing wingover's decending into a field for some low flying. I was unaware that a helicopter was flying at approximately 150 feet in the direction I was travelling. Key points include; low light conditions near sunset, lack of lighting on the helicopter, lack of ADSB from the helicopter (at least I didn't see him on radar before I took off 15 minutes earlier – probably due to his low altitude), and his helicopter being of dark color against the dark trees while I was at a higher altitude than he was while approaching. My (Hunter) strobe was on. My wing is yellow/orange so very visible. The helicopter pilot evidently saw me before I saw him and increased his altitude while shifting away. He appears to pass me approximately slightly higher and 500-700 feet distant horizontally. Wind was nil, so he was not upwind of me while passing. I chose to turn 90 degrees away from his flight path and ascend to avoid potential rotor. I encountered no rotor from his aircraft as I departed. Other notes: I made radio calls before taking off, but had been silent since announcing that I was departing the pattern to the South after my launch. I had heard the helicopter pilot on the air band before take-off, but was unaware of his position or direction of travel (I did check FlightRadar before launching but he didn't show up.) Other than having ADSB-out, I'm not sure I could have done anything else. I was doing wing-overs when (I assume) he saw me, so I couldn't have been any more obvious.