Traffic watch helicopter X opposite direction traffic had near midair collision less than standard s...

Attributes
ACN	251212
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dal
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dal
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	251212
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

WX VFR, but hazy. Helicopters X and Y, both traffic watch helicopters working radar position, but frequency was filled with static, constantly scratchy on both primary and backup receivers. Had numerous aircraft on frequency including 3 or 4 traffic watch helicopters and small aircraft's as well as an small aircraft on a pipeline patrol (southeast through north) and 2 overflt aircraft. The traffic watch route circles downtown dallas, northwest toward dal, west of the airport, east along the I635 interstate north of love field airport, and south returning toward downtown. At this time helicopter X was on a reverse course northwest to southeast, south of the airport. Helicopter Y was normal route southeast to northwest. I handed off the pipeline aircraft to addison airport tower as he was going to leave the TCA and enter their airspace. Immediately returned and issued traffic to the 2 helicopters as 'in your vicinity' on a blanket broadcast to both pilots. No time to do anything more specific. Helicopter Y pilot stated something like 'we see each other now.' he later came back and complained about not receiving an earlier traffic call and stated they were less than 100 ft apart in the haze.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC WATCH HELI X OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC HAD NMAC LTSS IN DFW TCA. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: WX VFR, BUT HAZY. HELIS X AND Y, BOTH TFC WATCH HELIS WORKING RADAR POS, BUT FREQ WAS FILLED WITH STATIC, CONSTANTLY SCRATCHY ON BOTH PRIMARY AND BACKUP RECEIVERS. HAD NUMEROUS ACFT ON FREQ INCLUDING 3 OR 4 TFC WATCH HELIS AND SMA'S AS WELL AS AN SMA ON A PIPELINE PATROL (SE THROUGH N) AND 2 OVERFLT ACFT. THE TFC WATCH RTE CIRCLES DOWNTOWN DALLAS, NW TOWARD DAL, W OF THE ARPT, E ALONG THE I635 INTERSTATE N OF LOVE FIELD ARPT, AND S RETURNING TOWARD DOWNTOWN. AT THIS TIME HELI X WAS ON A REVERSE COURSE NW TO SE, S OF THE ARPT. HELI Y WAS NORMAL RTE SE TO NW. I HANDED OFF THE PIPELINE ACFT TO ADDISON ARPT TWR AS HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE THE TCA AND ENTER THEIR AIRSPACE. IMMEDIATELY RETURNED AND ISSUED TFC TO THE 2 HELIS AS 'IN YOUR VICINITY' ON A BLANKET BROADCAST TO BOTH PLTS. NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING MORE SPECIFIC. HELI Y PLT STATED SOMETHING LIKE 'WE SEE EACH OTHER NOW.' HE LATER CAME BACK AND COMPLAINED ABOUT NOT RECEIVING AN EARLIER TFC CALL AND STATED THEY WERE LESS THAN 100 FT APART IN THE HAZE.

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.

Traffic watch helicopter X opposite direction traffic had near midair collision less than standard separation in dfw TCA. System error.