A B737-400 flight crew had a near miss with a helicopter on approach to ajn.

Attributes
ACN	440075
Time
Date	199906
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jnu.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jnu.tower tower : mhtg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
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 : 25000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	440075
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on a left downwind for runway 26 at 2000 ft MSL. Just prior to our base leg turn, tower cleared a helicopter for takeoff with an east departure. The tower also advised the helicopter of our position. Moments later, the tower advised us of the helicopter's departure and added that he would not be a factor. Moments after turning our downwind to base turn we got a TCASII TA. At that point the helicopter was 500 ft below us (per TCASII). A second or 2 after the TCASII advisory, I established visual contact with helicopter coming towards us from the left and climbing. A moment later, we got an RA and a climb command. At that point the first officer, who did not have the helicopter in sight, stopped his base leg descent and initiated a climb until the helicopter passed under us. It appeared to me that the helicopter did not have us in sight until well into the conflict. Supplemental information from acn 440056: the B737 at times fell into my blind spot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 FLC HAD A NEAR MISS WITH A HELI ON APCH TO AJN.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26 AT 2000 FT MSL. JUST PRIOR TO OUR BASE LEG TURN, TWR CLRED A HELI FOR TKOF WITH AN E DEP. THE TWR ALSO ADVISED THE HELI OF OUR POS. MOMENTS LATER, THE TWR ADVISED US OF THE HELI'S DEP AND ADDED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE A FACTOR. MOMENTS AFTER TURNING OUR DOWNWIND TO BASE TURN WE GOT A TCASII TA. AT THAT POINT THE HELI WAS 500 FT BELOW US (PER TCASII). A SECOND OR 2 AFTER THE TCASII ADVISORY, I ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH HELI COMING TOWARDS US FROM THE L AND CLBING. A MOMENT LATER, WE GOT AN RA AND A CLB COMMAND. AT THAT POINT THE FO, WHO DID NOT HAVE THE HELI IN SIGHT, STOPPED HIS BASE LEG DSCNT AND INITIATED A CLB UNTIL THE HELI PASSED UNDER US. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE HELI DID NOT HAVE US IN SIGHT UNTIL WELL INTO THE CONFLICT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 440056: THE B737 AT TIMES FELL INTO MY BLIND SPOT.

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.