CL65 on descent for tus experienced TCASII RA with helicopter.

Attributes
ACN	590666
Time
Date	200308
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tus.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : u90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : u90.tracon
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	590666
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

VMC on what appeared to be a vector to a left base for runway 11L at tus that crossed the final for runway 11 at davis monthan field, ca, (a military field). We were told to look for a beechjet on final for runway 11L at tus, and to descend and maintain 5000 ft on a 240 degree heading, noticed TCASII was indicating traffic at 11 O'clock position, inside of 5 mi at 5000 ft MSL. This turned into a TA then quickly an RA. Simultaneously complied with RA and spotted a blackhawk helicopter wbound at 5000 ft MSL inside a mi. The first officer advised the approach controller and were immediately cleared the visual to runway 11L at tus. I got on the radio and told the controller that this was the closest I had ever been with an RA. He merely said that he did not know what the helicopter was doing at that he was supposed to be on a different heading. On the ground I contacted the ground controller for the approach controller's phone number. In conclusion, I feel there was a lack first officer situational awareness with approach control and blackhawk helicopter. Dismayed that I was under approach control then immediately dumped to a visual by the controller when RA was reported.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 ON DSCNT FOR TUS EXPERIENCED TCASII RA WITH HELI.

Narrative: VMC ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE A VECTOR TO A L BASE FOR RWY 11L AT TUS THAT CROSSED THE FINAL FOR RWY 11 AT DAVIS MONTHAN FIELD, CA, (A MIL FIELD). WE WERE TOLD TO LOOK FOR A BEECHJET ON FINAL FOR RWY 11L AT TUS, AND TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 5000 FT ON A 240 DEG HDG, NOTICED TCASII WAS INDICATING TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK POS, INSIDE OF 5 MI AT 5000 FT MSL. THIS TURNED INTO A TA THEN QUICKLY AN RA. SIMULTANEOUSLY COMPLIED WITH RA AND SPOTTED A BLACKHAWK HELI WBOUND AT 5000 FT MSL INSIDE A MI. THE FO ADVISED THE APCH CTLR AND WERE IMMEDIATELY CLRED THE VISUAL TO RWY 11L AT TUS. I GOT ON THE RADIO AND TOLD THE CTLR THAT THIS WAS THE CLOSEST I HAD EVER BEEN WITH AN RA. HE MERELY SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE HELI WAS DOING AT THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON A DIFFERENT HEADING. ON THE GND I CONTACTED THE GND CTLR FOR THE APCH CTLR'S PHONE NUMBER. IN CONCLUSION, I FEEL THERE WAS A LACK FO SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WITH APCH CTL AND BLACKHAWK HELI. DISMAYED THAT I WAS UNDER APCH CTL THEN IMMEDIATELY DUMPED TO A VISUAL BY THE CTLR WHEN RA WAS RPTED.

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.