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Close proximity air carrier medium large transport on icb and helicopter cleared to cross the airport midfield.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 138837 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199002 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bwi |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1200 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bwi |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 138837 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 500 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
At the time that our flight was cleared for takeoff on runway 15R, we were apprised of landing traffic 2 mi out for runway 10 and a helicopter which was cleared over the field at 1200' from the southwest. We proceeded to take off maintaining visual contact with both pieces of traffic, neither of which appeared to conflict with our present or intended path. It was apparent after rotation that the track and altitude of the helicopter was presenting a potential hazard both vertically and laterally necessitating my rate of climb to be reduced. The helicopter was kept in sight at all times until passing behind us, but the separation appeared to be less than 500'. Our landing lights were clearly reflected on his left side door and windshield, but exact separation was difficult to determine. After speaking with the bwi tower supervisor from my downline station it was relayed that the helicopter deviated slightly from his assigned track. Clearing an aircraft over 'midfield' may be too nebulous under these circumstances and the performance capabilities of a lightwt medium large transport on a cold day may not be known. I was assured that new procedures will be implemented as a result of this situation having developed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CLOSE PROX ACR MLG ON ICB AND HELICOPTER CLEARED TO CROSS THE ARPT MIDFIELD.
Narrative: AT THE TIME THAT OUR FLT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 15R, WE WERE APPRISED OF LNDG TFC 2 MI OUT FOR RWY 10 AND A HELI WHICH WAS CLRED OVER THE FIELD AT 1200' FROM THE SW. WE PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF MAINTAINING VISUAL CONTACT WITH BOTH PIECES OF TFC, NEITHER OF WHICH APPEARED TO CONFLICT WITH OUR PRESENT OR INTENDED PATH. IT WAS APPARENT AFTER ROTATION THAT THE TRACK AND ALT OF THE HELI WAS PRESENTING A POTENTIAL HAZARD BOTH VERTICALLY AND LATERALLY NECESSITATING MY RATE OF CLIMB TO BE REDUCED. THE HELI WAS KEPT IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES UNTIL PASSING BEHIND US, BUT THE SEPARATION APPEARED TO BE LESS THAN 500'. OUR LNDG LIGHTS WERE CLEARLY REFLECTED ON HIS LEFT SIDE DOOR AND WINDSHIELD, BUT EXACT SEPARATION WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE BWI TWR SUPVR FROM MY DOWNLINE STATION IT WAS RELAYED THAT THE HELI DEVIATED SLIGHTLY FROM HIS ASSIGNED TRACK. CLEARING AN ACFT OVER 'MIDFIELD' MAY BE TOO NEBULOUS UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF A LIGHTWT MLG ON A COLD DAY MAY NOT BE KNOWN. I WAS ASSURED THAT NEW PROCS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS A RESULT OF THIS SITUATION HAVING DEVELOPED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.