Narrative:

We were being vectored for a downwind for runway 6 at isp and given a 210 degree heading at 2500 ft MSL by ny approach for our landing sequence. We were in VFR conditions and receiving advisories. Ny approach turned us over to isp tower. Tower advised us we would be #2 for landing following a gulfstream at our 1 O'clock position. The first officer sighted the traffic and we advised tower the traffic was in sight. Tower advised us to keep our approach in tight behind the gulfstream and we were cleared to land. He was putting us in front of an arrow on a practice ILS approach to runway 6. As we turned base to runway 6, I picked up the traffic on the practice ILS. As we turned final, I could see that the gulfstream wasn't going to be clear of the runway, so I ask if we could circle to runway 10. The tower controller was busy and didn't respond to my request right away. So I asked again and he told us to circle to runway 10 and cleared us to land. There was a helicopter southwest of the runways that was headed towards the center of the airport to land in the infield grass. The tower controller instructed the helicopter pilot to remain clear of runway 10 and to turn away from the runway. As we turned short final, the helicopter continued towards us. The first officer, who was flying at the time was first to spot the helicopter was continuing towards us and turned left away from the helicopter executing a missed approach. As we started the miss, the tower controller told us to execute a missed approach and fly runway heading. We continued as on a normal takeoff and climb until directed back for another landing without further incident. I later talked with the tower controller and he said the pilot got confused and didn't know who the controller was talking to. The helicopter had passed to our right within a few hundred ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED FOR A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 6 AT ISP AND GIVEN A 210 DEG HDG AT 2500 FT MSL BY NY APCH FOR OUR LNDG SEQUENCE. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS AND RECEIVING ADVISORIES. NY APCH TURNED US OVER TO ISP TWR. TWR ADVISED US WE WOULD BE #2 FOR LNDG FOLLOWING A GULFSTREAM AT OUR 1 O'CLOCK POS. THE FO SIGHTED THE TFC AND WE ADVISED TWR THE TFC WAS IN SIGHT. TWR ADVISED US TO KEEP OUR APCH IN TIGHT BEHIND THE GULFSTREAM AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. HE WAS PUTTING US IN FRONT OF AN ARROW ON A PRACTICE ILS APCH TO RWY 6. AS WE TURNED BASE TO RWY 6, I PICKED UP THE TFC ON THE PRACTICE ILS. AS WE TURNED FINAL, I COULD SEE THAT THE GULFSTREAM WASN'T GOING TO BE CLR OF THE RWY, SO I ASK IF WE COULD CIRCLE TO RWY 10. THE TWR CTLR WAS BUSY AND DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY REQUEST RIGHT AWAY. SO I ASKED AGAIN AND HE TOLD US TO CIRCLE TO RWY 10 AND CLRED US TO LAND. THERE WAS A HELI SW OF THE RWYS THAT WAS HEADED TOWARDS THE CTR OF THE ARPT TO LAND IN THE INFIELD GRASS. THE TWR CTLR INSTRUCTED THE HELI PLT TO REMAIN CLR OF RWY 10 AND TO TURN AWAY FROM THE RWY. AS WE TURNED SHORT FINAL, THE HELI CONTINUED TOWARDS US. THE FO, WHO WAS FLYING AT THE TIME WAS FIRST TO SPOT THE HELI WAS CONTINUING TOWARDS US AND TURNED L AWAY FROM THE HELI EXECUTING A MISSED APCH. AS WE STARTED THE MISS, THE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH AND FLY RWY HDG. WE CONTINUED AS ON A NORMAL TKOF AND CLB UNTIL DIRECTED BACK FOR ANOTHER LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I LATER TALKED WITH THE TWR CTLR AND HE SAID THE PLT GOT CONFUSED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE CTLR WAS TALKING TO. THE HELI HAD PASSED TO OUR R WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED FT.

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.