A regional air carrier flight crew failed to give way to a helicopter in distress.

Attributes
ACN	300607
Time
Date	199503
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mcw
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	300607
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	301179
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On mar/wed/95, our aircraft was inbound to mcw on the ILS runway 35 approach with a circle to runway 30. We were told by ZMP to report leaving 3000 ft. When I called 3000 ft we were told to switch to advisory frequency. At this time we had descended below the clouds and reported 3 mi out on left base for runway 30. A helicopter announced that he was behind us and had us in sight. When switching to advisory we heard a helicopter requesting ground assistance due to hydraulic problems. We assumed this was the helicopter behind us. No emergency was declared by the helicopter and he did not appear to have a problem with us when he stated he had us in sight. We landed and were clear of the runway he landed on for at least 2 mins. We deplaned the passenger and departed spending 10 mins at the airport and not another word was spoken about the incident. If an emergency was declared or if the helicopter pilot had asked us for any assistance we would have certainly complied. My captain and I were unaware that there were any problems with our actions until the following evening. Our mcw station manager informed us that the mcw airport manager told him the FAA was notified concerning our aircraft interfering with another aircraft in distress. In the future, if I hear an aircraft state he has any problems, I will ask the controling agency or the other pilot if he requires any action from me or voluntarily clear the area (at uncontrolled airports) to prevent any misunderstandings. Supplemental information from acn 301179: we gave our position on each segment of the approach. We heard a helicopter talking on unicom about a hydraulic problem, but he never gave his position. He was talking to an airport employee who asked him if he was ok. He remarked that he would be needing some assistance. At no time did he declare an emergency. When we reported on final for runway 30, the helicopter said he was southeast of the field and had us in sight. We landed and taxied clear at least 2 mins before the helicopter landed. Now the helicopter pilot is claiming he had an emergency and had to take evasive action. Center was unaware of any emergency nor was anyone else.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A REGIONAL ACR FLC FAILED TO GIVE WAY TO A HELI IN DISTRESS.

Narrative: ON MAR/WED/95, OUR ACFT WAS INBOUND TO MCW ON THE ILS RWY 35 APCH WITH A CIRCLE TO RWY 30. WE WERE TOLD BY ZMP TO RPT LEAVING 3000 FT. WHEN I CALLED 3000 FT WE WERE TOLD TO SWITCH TO ADVISORY FREQ. AT THIS TIME WE HAD DSNDED BELOW THE CLOUDS AND RPTED 3 MI OUT ON L BASE FOR RWY 30. A HELI ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS BEHIND US AND HAD US IN SIGHT. WHEN SWITCHING TO ADVISORY WE HEARD A HELI REQUESTING GND ASSISTANCE DUE TO HYD PROBS. WE ASSUMED THIS WAS THE HELI BEHIND US. NO EMER WAS DECLARED BY THE HELI AND HE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A PROB WITH US WHEN HE STATED HE HAD US IN SIGHT. WE LANDED AND WERE CLR OF THE RWY HE LANDED ON FOR AT LEAST 2 MINS. WE DEPLANED THE PAX AND DEPARTED SPENDING 10 MINS AT THE ARPT AND NOT ANOTHER WORD WAS SPOKEN ABOUT THE INCIDENT. IF AN EMER WAS DECLARED OR IF THE HELI PLT HAD ASKED US FOR ANY ASSISTANCE WE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY COMPLIED. MY CAPT AND I WERE UNAWARE THAT THERE WERE ANY PROBS WITH OUR ACTIONS UNTIL THE FOLLOWING EVENING. OUR MCW STATION MGR INFORMED US THAT THE MCW ARPT MGR TOLD HIM THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED CONCERNING OUR ACFT INTERFERING WITH ANOTHER ACFT IN DISTRESS. IN THE FUTURE, IF I HEAR AN ACFT STATE HE HAS ANY PROBS, I WILL ASK THE CTLING AGENCY OR THE OTHER PLT IF HE REQUIRES ANY ACTION FROM ME OR VOLUNTARILY CLR THE AREA (AT UNCTLED ARPTS) TO PREVENT ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 301179: WE GAVE OUR POS ON EACH SEGMENT OF THE APCH. WE HEARD A HELI TALKING ON UNICOM ABOUT A HYD PROB, BUT HE NEVER GAVE HIS POS. HE WAS TALKING TO AN ARPT EMPLOYEE WHO ASKED HIM IF HE WAS OK. HE REMARKED THAT HE WOULD BE NEEDING SOME ASSISTANCE. AT NO TIME DID HE DECLARE AN EMER. WHEN WE RPTED ON FINAL FOR RWY 30, THE HELI SAID HE WAS SE OF THE FIELD AND HAD US IN SIGHT. WE LANDED AND TAXIED CLR AT LEAST 2 MINS BEFORE THE HELI LANDED. NOW THE HELI PLT IS CLAIMING HE HAD AN EMER AND HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. CTR WAS UNAWARE OF ANY EMER NOR WAS ANYONE ELSE.

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.