Narrative:

Fgt X and Y were on vr 1081. Bad WX ahead caused the flight to route abort and proceed around the island to the other side. The route of flight took us offshore around the nwestern tip of the island at 500 ft AGL. As the flight crossed the 260-270 degree bqn radial 5-6 DME, I fgt Y saw a helicopter at my 1 O'clock position and 2 mi. At the same time my flight lead, X warned me of traffic that was higher and would pass approximately between us. I told 'X' I had traffic in sight and would pass below him by about 500 ft. My radar altimeter read 500 ft at the time the helicopter passed over me. I estimated his altitude was 800-1100 AGL. No evasive action was necessary except to hold my altitude. Conclusion -- had we realized the VORTAC was on the east end of the field instead of the west, we would have given more distance between us and the airport. Our aircraft were not VHF equipped. Supplemental information from acn 205191. A military helicopter on VFR flight shooting practice IFR approach at bqn, pr. Military helicopter was cleared for and reported commencing the TACAN runway 8 approach at bqn. At this time traffic was observed on radar approximately 20 mi east of bqn moving w-nwbound. Altitude indicated 014 (1400) and a ground speed of 420 KTS. Military helicopter then given frequency change to bqn unicom. I was training an ex-military new hire on radar. I had an impulse to hit the guard frequency (243.0) and try to talk to unknown aircraft. This time I hesitated to see if the trainee would do it. He didn't and we got distraction by an light transport at FL410. Next think military helicopter comes up on frequency and reports a near miss. He said it appeared to be a fgt approximately 300 ft below him when he was on short final to bqn. Pilot was quite shook up. I was not happy with myself for not handling the situation correctly. I guess I should have prompted the trainee or broadcast on 243.0 myself. Next time I will.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FGT Y NON ADHERENCE TO FARS HAD NMAC WITH MIL HELI. PLTDEV.

Narrative: FGT X AND Y WERE ON VR 1081. BAD WX AHEAD CAUSED THE FLT TO RTE ABORT AND PROCEED AROUND THE ISLAND TO THE OTHER SIDE. THE RTE OF FLT TOOK US OFFSHORE AROUND THE NWESTERN TIP OF THE ISLAND AT 500 FT AGL. AS THE FLT CROSSED THE 260-270 DEG BQN RADIAL 5-6 DME, I FGT Y SAW A HELI AT MY 1 O'CLOCK POS AND 2 MI. AT THE SAME TIME MY FLT LEAD, X WARNED ME OF TFC THAT WAS HIGHER AND WOULD PASS APPROX BTWN US. I TOLD 'X' I HAD TFC IN SIGHT AND WOULD PASS BELOW HIM BY ABOUT 500 FT. MY RADAR ALTIMETER READ 500 FT AT THE TIME THE HELI PASSED OVER ME. I ESTIMATED HIS ALT WAS 800-1100 AGL. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS NECESSARY EXCEPT TO HOLD MY ALT. CONCLUSION -- HAD WE REALIZED THE VORTAC WAS ON THE E END OF THE FIELD INSTEAD OF THE W, WE WOULD HAVE GIVEN MORE DISTANCE BTWN US AND THE ARPT. OUR ACFT WERE NOT VHF EQUIPPED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 205191. A MIL HELI ON VFR FLT SHOOTING PRACTICE IFR APCH AT BQN, PR. MIL HELI WAS CLRED FOR AND RPTED COMMENCING THE TACAN RWY 8 APCH AT BQN. AT THIS TIME TFC WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR APPROX 20 MI E OF BQN MOVING W-NWBOUND. ALT INDICATED 014 (1400) AND A GND SPD OF 420 KTS. MIL HELI THEN GIVEN FREQ CHANGE TO BQN UNICOM. I WAS TRAINING AN EX-MIL NEW HIRE ON RADAR. I HAD AN IMPULSE TO HIT THE GUARD FREQ (243.0) AND TRY TO TALK TO UNKNOWN ACFT. THIS TIME I HESITATED TO SEE IF THE TRAINEE WOULD DO IT. HE DIDN'T AND WE GOT DISTR BY AN LTT AT FL410. NEXT THINK MIL HELI COMES UP ON FREQ AND RPTS A NEAR MISS. HE SAID IT APPEARED TO BE A FGT APPROX 300 FT BELOW HIM WHEN HE WAS ON SHORT FINAL TO BQN. PLT WAS QUITE SHOOK UP. I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH MYSELF FOR NOT HANDLING THE SITUATION CORRECTLY. I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE PROMPTED THE TRAINEE OR BROADCAST ON 243.0 MYSELF. NEXT TIME I WILL.

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.