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An arriving air carrier in marginal VFR WX gets close to helicopter that is providing visual separation from the aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 323438 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199512 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pbi |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 650 agl bound upper : 650 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : pbi |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 3850 |
| ASRS Report | 323438 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 800 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Break out at approximately 700 ft inbound on final approach executing instrument approach (localizer back course) to runway 27 at west palm beach. Helicopter traffic which was operated in VFR conditions at approximately 400 ft AGL along shoreline going sbound was called out to us by tower. We did not have traffic due to marginal VFR conditions. We heard tower asking helicopter to do a 360 degree turn if we were not in sight. Helicopter pilot then reported us in sight. We then saw a large very fast (approximately 180 KTS ground speed) helicopter below and to the right. We were at approach speed with landing gear and full flaps. Helicopter passed out of sight under right wing. VFR traffic shouldn't be permitted along a VFR corridor under a final course during instrument conditions. There wasn't much we could do when we finally saw helicopter, due to very short time frame. Pbi tower contacted about procedure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ARRIVING ACR IN MARGINAL VFR WX GETS CLOSE TO HELI THAT IS PROVIDING VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE ACFT.
Narrative: BREAK OUT AT APPROX 700 FT INBOUND ON FINAL APCH EXECUTING INST APCH (LOC BACK COURSE) TO RWY 27 AT WEST PALM BEACH. HELI TFC WHICH WAS OPERATED IN VFR CONDITIONS AT APPROX 400 FT AGL ALONG SHORELINE GOING SBOUND WAS CALLED OUT TO US BY TWR. WE DID NOT HAVE TFC DUE TO MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS. WE HEARD TWR ASKING HELI TO DO A 360 DEG TURN IF WE WERE NOT IN SIGHT. HELI PLT THEN RPTED US IN SIGHT. WE THEN SAW A LARGE VERY FAST (APPROX 180 KTS GND SPD) HELI BELOW AND TO THE R. WE WERE AT APCH SPD WITH LNDG GEAR AND FULL FLAPS. HELI PASSED OUT OF SIGHT UNDER R WING. VFR TFC SHOULDN'T BE PERMITTED ALONG A VFR CORRIDOR UNDER A FINAL COURSE DURING INST CONDITIONS. THERE WASN'T MUCH WE COULD DO WHEN WE FINALLY SAW HELI, DUE TO VERY SHORT TIME FRAME. PBI TWR CONTACTED ABOUT PROC.
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.