An air carrier pilot experienced an RA on final to las runway 19L after approach ctrl kept the aircr...

Attributes
ACN	792403
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 3700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	792403
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : las.tower

Narrative:

I was PF. Approach cleared us for a visual to runway 19L at las. He kept us at 4500 ft and said we would get lower shortly. Also; he kept telling me to tighten up my base leg by flying toward the stratosphere landmark. Finally; I was cleared to 3500 ft and told not to descend below 3500 ft until on final. I had to initiate a rapid descent on base leg to get from 4500 ft to 3500 ft. This set off an RA with 2 tourist helicopters flying down the strip. I responded appropriately to the RA with a climb. The RA occurred at approximately 3700 ft altitude. I think the RA was triggered by my rapid descent. After the RA cleared; I should have abandoned the approach since I was now even higher than before. However; I managed to descend the aircraft and make a normal landing. However; there were many distrs after the RA and the 500 ft call was missed in my haste to land. I think the approach was stable by 500 ft AGL; but looking back on it; I should have just gone around. That would have allowed for a safer; non-rushed approach. Also; I recommended published visual approach plates for las.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT EXPERIENCED AN RA ON FINAL TO LAS RWY 19L AFTER APCH CTRL KEPT THE ACFT HIGH THEN ASKED TO DSND RAPIDLY. DSCNT WAS TOWARD HELICOPTERS. WHEN CLR ACFT DSCNT CONTINUED NORMALLY.

Narrative: I WAS PF. APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 19L AT LAS. HE KEPT US AT 4500 FT AND SAID WE WOULD GET LOWER SHORTLY. ALSO; HE KEPT TELLING ME TO TIGHTEN UP MY BASE LEG BY FLYING TOWARD THE STRATOSPHERE LANDMARK. FINALLY; I WAS CLRED TO 3500 FT AND TOLD NOT TO DSND BELOW 3500 FT UNTIL ON FINAL. I HAD TO INITIATE A RAPID DSCNT ON BASE LEG TO GET FROM 4500 FT TO 3500 FT. THIS SET OFF AN RA WITH 2 TOURIST HELIS FLYING DOWN THE STRIP. I RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY TO THE RA WITH A CLB. THE RA OCCURRED AT APPROX 3700 FT ALT. I THINK THE RA WAS TRIGGERED BY MY RAPID DSCNT. AFTER THE RA CLRED; I SHOULD HAVE ABANDONED THE APCH SINCE I WAS NOW EVEN HIGHER THAN BEFORE. HOWEVER; I MANAGED TO DSND THE ACFT AND MAKE A NORMAL LNDG. HOWEVER; THERE WERE MANY DISTRS AFTER THE RA AND THE 500 FT CALL WAS MISSED IN MY HASTE TO LAND. I THINK THE APCH WAS STABLE BY 500 FT AGL; BUT LOOKING BACK ON IT; I SHOULD HAVE JUST GONE AROUND. THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED FOR A SAFER; NON-RUSHED APCH. ALSO; I RECOMMENDED PUBLISHED VISUAL APCH PLATES FOR LAS.

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.

An air carrier pilot experienced an RA on final to las runway 19L after approach ctrl kept the aircraft high then asked to descend rapidly. Descent was toward helicopters. When clear aircraft descent continued normally.