A320 departure from las experienced TCAS RA with unrpted helicopter followed by a terrain warning ev...

Attributes
ACN	790460
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : shead5
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 185 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	790460
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 18250 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	790459
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Departing runway 1R assigned heading 240 degree radar vectors shead departure. Asked by tower to maintain visual separation from preceding B737 that was also assigned a left turnout. That aircraft was not a factor and tower switched us over to departure as we were beginning our turn around 400 ft. I switched frequencys and before checking in we received a preventative TCAS RA to maintain vertical speed. Target was initially showing 100 ft below us at a range of 1-2 NM. We crossed over the top of the helicopter with him 300-400 ft below us. I passed the information along to departure who said he would let the tower know. We leveled off at 9000 ft and were assigned heading 220 degrees. Terrain ahead was in sight. Just as we received a predictive terrain alert 'caution terrain' we were given both a climb and turn clearance. I mentioned to the controller that we had gotten the terrain caution; but he didn't seem concerned. If this had occurred under IFR conditions; getting the terrain caution would not have been pleasant. A stuck microphone or frequency congestion would have made things even worse.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 DEP FROM LAS EXPERIENCED TCAS RA WITH UNRPTED HELI FOLLOWED BY A TERRAIN WARNING EVENT.

Narrative: DEPARTING RWY 1R ASSIGNED HDG 240 DEG RADAR VECTORS SHEAD DEP. ASKED BY TWR TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM PRECEDING B737 THAT WAS ALSO ASSIGNED A L TURNOUT. THAT ACFT WAS NOT A FACTOR AND TWR SWITCHED US OVER TO DEP AS WE WERE BEGINNING OUR TURN AROUND 400 FT. I SWITCHED FREQS AND BEFORE CHKING IN WE RECEIVED A PREVENTATIVE TCAS RA TO MAINTAIN VERT SPD. TARGET WAS INITIALLY SHOWING 100 FT BELOW US AT A RANGE OF 1-2 NM. WE CROSSED OVER THE TOP OF THE HELI WITH HIM 300-400 FT BELOW US. I PASSED THE INFO ALONG TO DEP WHO SAID HE WOULD LET THE TWR KNOW. WE LEVELED OFF AT 9000 FT AND WERE ASSIGNED HDG 220 DEGS. TERRAIN AHEAD WAS IN SIGHT. JUST AS WE RECEIVED A PREDICTIVE TERRAIN ALERT 'CAUTION TERRAIN' WE WERE GIVEN BOTH A CLB AND TURN CLRNC. I MENTIONED TO THE CTLR THAT WE HAD GOTTEN THE TERRAIN CAUTION; BUT HE DIDN'T SEEM CONCERNED. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED UNDER IFR CONDITIONS; GETTING THE TERRAIN CAUTION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLEASANT. A STUCK MIKE OR FREQ CONGESTION WOULD HAVE MADE THINGS EVEN WORSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

A320 departure from las experienced TCAS RA with unrpted helicopter followed by a terrain warning event.