Air carrier observed a helicopter crossing final approach in front of him.

Attributes
ACN	124090
Time
Date	198909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	124090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Approach is to minimums (lda 18, dca). Looking for airport when helicopter is seen crossing ahead from left to right on a converging track. Helicopter passed underneath and to our right side. Due to helicopter, we had to delay descent to runway. Also, conflicting traffic was not mentioned by approach control or tower. This conflict occurred at a critical time: at MDA, nearing missed approach point and still looking for airport. Traffic conflicts with helicopters at dca is a frequent problem. My experience has been that dca tower advises us of traffic approximately half of the time. I feel the problem could be avoided if greater airspace restrictions on helicopters flying around dca were imposed. At least, the tower must advise of all conflicts between aircraft arriving/departing and helicopters skirting the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR OBSERVED A HELICOPTER CROSSING FINAL APCH IN FRONT OF HIM.

Narrative: APCH IS TO MINIMUMS (LDA 18, DCA). LOOKING FOR ARPT WHEN HELI IS SEEN XING AHEAD FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ON A CONVERGING TRACK. HELI PASSED UNDERNEATH AND TO OUR RIGHT SIDE. DUE TO HELI, WE HAD TO DELAY DSCNT TO RWY. ALSO, CONFLICTING TFC WAS NOT MENTIONED BY APCH CTL OR TWR. THIS CONFLICT OCCURRED AT A CRITICAL TIME: AT MDA, NEARING MISSED APCH POINT AND STILL LOOKING FOR ARPT. TFC CONFLICTS WITH HELIS AT DCA IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM. MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT DCA TWR ADVISES US OF TFC APPROX HALF OF THE TIME. I FEEL THE PROBLEM COULD BE AVOIDED IF GREATER AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS ON HELIS FLYING AROUND DCA WERE IMPOSED. AT LEAST, THE TWR MUST ADVISE OF ALL CONFLICTS BETWEEN ACFT ARRIVING/DEPARTING AND HELIS SKIRTING THE ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.