Benchmark calculations for simultaneous ionization--excitation of helium A.S. Kheifets$^\star$, I. Bray$^\sharp$ and K.~Bartschat$^\dagger$ $^\star$ Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra A.C.T. 0200, Australia. $^\sharp$Electronic Structure of Materials Centre, Flinders University of South Australia, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide S.A. 5001, Australia $^\dagger$Department of Physics and Astronomy, Drake University, Des Moines, IA 50311, U.S.A. Benchmark calculations are presented for the electron impact ionization of He leaving the ion in the $n$=2 excited state. The projectile-target interaction is described in the 1st Born approximation whereas the interaction of the ejected and the remaining target electron is treated non-perturbatively within the close-coupling formalism, either in coordinate or momentum space. Good agreement is found between these two methods, thereby creating a basis for further improvement.