C560 encounters helicopter traffic while landing at fdk during marginal WX conditions.

Attributes
ACN	614189
Time
Date	200404
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fdk.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl single value : 417
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Rain Fog other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	614189
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for a GPS runway 5 approach into fdk airport. The WX at the time of the approach was at minimums. We made ground contact at approximately 420 ft AGL. The ceiling was ragged, it was raining and foggy. When we made visual contact with the runway, we noticed a rotating beacon on the first 1/3 of the runway. I determined it to be a helicopter. I couldn't tell if he was hovering or what he was doing. I was about to make a go around missed approach when the helicopter went straight up and out of sight. I went ahead and made a normal landing. After landing, I saw the helicopter circling at the edge of the airport. After parking, the 2 pilots from the chopper approached me and asked to discuss what had happened. During the discussion, they said they were out there practicing. At that time, I explained to them the WX was IFR. They claimed the ceiling was 1900 ft. As I said earlier, I broke out at minimums. I explained that they shouldn't be practicing on the only instrument runway in IFR conditions. If they needed to practice, there was ample room on the inactive runway. I think they used poor judgement in their decision to practice with such poor WX conditions. If I had decided to go around, they could have pulled straight up into my aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C560 ENCOUNTERS HELI TFC WHILE LNDG AT FDK DURING MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A GPS RWY 5 APCH INTO FDK ARPT. THE WX AT THE TIME OF THE APCH WAS AT MINIMUMS. WE MADE GND CONTACT AT APPROX 420 FT AGL. THE CEILING WAS RAGGED, IT WAS RAINING AND FOGGY. WHEN WE MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY, WE NOTICED A ROTATING BEACON ON THE FIRST 1/3 OF THE RWY. I DETERMINED IT TO BE A HELI. I COULDN'T TELL IF HE WAS HOVERING OR WHAT HE WAS DOING. I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A GAR MISSED APCH WHEN THE HELI WENT STRAIGHT UP AND OUT OF SIGHT. I WENT AHEAD AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. AFTER LNDG, I SAW THE HELI CIRCLING AT THE EDGE OF THE ARPT. AFTER PARKING, THE 2 PLTS FROM THE CHOPPER APCHED ME AND ASKED TO DISCUSS WHAT HAD HAPPENED. DURING THE DISCUSSION, THEY SAID THEY WERE OUT THERE PRACTICING. AT THAT TIME, I EXPLAINED TO THEM THE WX WAS IFR. THEY CLAIMED THE CEILING WAS 1900 FT. AS I SAID EARLIER, I BROKE OUT AT MINIMUMS. I EXPLAINED THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE PRACTICING ON THE ONLY INST RWY IN IFR CONDITIONS. IF THEY NEEDED TO PRACTICE, THERE WAS AMPLE ROOM ON THE INACTIVE RWY. I THINK THEY USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN THEIR DECISION TO PRACTICE WITH SUCH POOR WX CONDITIONS. IF I HAD DECIDED TO GO AROUND, THEY COULD HAVE PULLED STRAIGHT UP INTO MY ACFT.

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.