B727 receives RA during visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	553192
Time
Date	200206
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric.tracon
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : holding
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	553192
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While being vectored to the ric airport, received an RA from a VFR helicopter. The helicopter was at 2500 ft. We were at 3000 ft and received a visual approach clearance to the runway after the helicopter reported us in sight. The clearance would have descended us into the helicopter. The RA displayed immediately after receiving the clearance and it was necessary to climb slightly to avoid the helicopter. I called the ric tower once on the ground to discuss the event. The controller explained that they had legal separation based on the helicopter reporting us in sight. My recommendation would be that the controller should have vectored us around the helicopter rather than directly over the top of it with 500 ft of separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 RECEIVES RA DURING VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED TO THE RIC ARPT, RECEIVED AN RA FROM A VFR HELI. THE HELI WAS AT 2500 FT. WE WERE AT 3000 FT AND RECEIVED A VISUAL APCH CLRNC TO THE RWY AFTER THE HELI RPTED US IN SIGHT. THE CLRNC WOULD HAVE DSNDED US INTO THE HELI. THE RA DISPLAYED IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIVING THE CLRNC AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO CLB SLIGHTLY TO AVOID THE HELI. I CALLED THE RIC TWR ONCE ON THE GND TO DISCUSS THE EVENT. THE CTLR EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAD LEGAL SEPARATION BASED ON THE HELI RPTING US IN SIGHT. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE VECTORED US AROUND THE HELI RATHER THAN DIRECTLY OVER THE TOP OF IT WITH 500 FT OF 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.