Narrative:

Hot, hazy afternoon in washington (haze did restrict visibility) flying the river visual approach to runway 18 at dca, crew is dca based so we are very familiar with this approach. At about 4-5 DME, tower asked us if we could land on runway 15, I declined and said that I'd like to continue for runway 18. Tower then advised us there would be 2 helicopters coming out of the tidal basin area. (It is not at all uncommon to see helicopters crossing our flight path when we are taking off to the north and climbing). I could see a contact on our TCASII screen -- just one target -- and between 600 and 500 ft on final, we got an RA that commanded climb. I had the first officer level off at 500 ft, the target showed 200 ft below on the TCASII and very close abeam me (on 5 NM scale) and I never did see either helicopter. We started back down when the TCASII showed we were passed them, we were high as we rolled wings level on final but, we were still able to safely complete the approach. I have been flying this approach at dca for 7 1/2 yrs, and this one really got my attention. Tower is not controling the helicopters, I can't be sure the helicopters have me in sight, I know the second helicopter is looking at his lead -- therefore, I know he is not looking at me, and I am descending into him while on final on a challenging approach. This had the potential to be a midair, and unfortunately, probably is considered routine operations by dca tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN AN ACR MLG AND 2 ROTARY WINGED ACFT IN A XING TFC SITUATION.

Narrative: HOT, HAZY AFTERNOON IN WASHINGTON (HAZE DID RESTRICT VISIBILITY) FLYING THE RIVER VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18 AT DCA, CREW IS DCA BASED SO WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS APCH. AT ABOUT 4-5 DME, TWR ASKED US IF WE COULD LAND ON RWY 15, I DECLINED AND SAID THAT I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE FOR RWY 18. TWR THEN ADVISED US THERE WOULD BE 2 HELIS COMING OUT OF THE TIDAL BASIN AREA. (IT IS NOT AT ALL UNCOMMON TO SEE HELIS XING OUR FLT PATH WHEN WE ARE TAKING OFF TO THE N AND CLBING). I COULD SEE A CONTACT ON OUR TCASII SCREEN -- JUST ONE TARGET -- AND BTWN 600 AND 500 FT ON FINAL, WE GOT AN RA THAT COMMANDED CLB. I HAD THE FO LEVEL OFF AT 500 FT, THE TARGET SHOWED 200 FT BELOW ON THE TCASII AND VERY CLOSE ABEAM ME (ON 5 NM SCALE) AND I NEVER DID SEE EITHER HELI. WE STARTED BACK DOWN WHEN THE TCASII SHOWED WE WERE PASSED THEM, WE WERE HIGH AS WE ROLLED WINGS LEVEL ON FINAL BUT, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE APCH. I HAVE BEEN FLYING THIS APCH AT DCA FOR 7 1/2 YRS, AND THIS ONE REALLY GOT MY ATTN. TWR IS NOT CTLING THE HELIS, I CAN'T BE SURE THE HELIS HAVE ME IN SIGHT, I KNOW THE SECOND HELI IS LOOKING AT HIS LEAD -- THEREFORE, I KNOW HE IS NOT LOOKING AT ME, AND I AM DSNDING INTO HIM WHILE ON FINAL ON A CHALLENGING APCH. THIS HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE A MIDAIR, AND UNFORTUNATELY, PROBABLY IS CONSIDERED ROUTINE OPS BY DCA TWR.

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.