B757 crew had near midair collision with helicopter at ewr.

Attributes
ACN	480647
Time
Date	200008
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
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 : 10000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	480647
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

ILS runway 22L at ewr, tower advised of helicopter traffic 'has you in sight.' captain asked for the traffic's altitude -- no response from tower (busy). TCASII alert, but no response taken because helicopter 'had us in sight.' both pilots outside cockpit looking for traffic. Pull-up warning (climb), first officer/captain slow to respond. Traffic passed 200 ft directly below aircraft. We never saw the helicopter visually due to haze and ground clutter. Tower supervisor responded that 'helicopter had us in sight' when I called. Said helicopter talking to tower. No excuse for another aircraft to come within 200 ft of another. Next time I will go around or take evasive action if I don't have visual separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW HAD NMAC WITH HELI AT EWR.

Narrative: ILS RWY 22L AT EWR, TWR ADVISED OF HELI TFC 'HAS YOU IN SIGHT.' CAPT ASKED FOR THE TFC'S ALT -- NO RESPONSE FROM TWR (BUSY). TCASII ALERT, BUT NO RESPONSE TAKEN BECAUSE HELI 'HAD US IN SIGHT.' BOTH PLTS OUTSIDE COCKPIT LOOKING FOR TFC. PULL-UP WARNING (CLB), FO/CAPT SLOW TO RESPOND. TFC PASSED 200 FT DIRECTLY BELOW ACFT. WE NEVER SAW THE HELI VISUALLY DUE TO HAZE AND GND CLUTTER. TWR SUPVR RESPONDED THAT 'HELI HAD US IN SIGHT' WHEN I CALLED. SAID HELI TALKING TO TWR. NO EXCUSE FOR ANOTHER ACFT TO COME WITHIN 200 FT OF ANOTHER. NEXT TIME I WILL GO AROUND OR TAKE EVASIVE ACTION IF I DON'T HAVE VISUAL SEPARATION.

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.