Large transport on river visual approach came in close proximity to helicopter flying down the river...

Attributes
ACN	85119
Time
Date	198803
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 300 msl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca tower : yyz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 203 flight time total : 5633 flight time type : 765
ASRS Report	85119
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

River visual approach runway 18. About 2 mi from key bridge I spotted an aircraft southeast of the bridge moving down the river. At the bridge I questioned the tower. They advised it was a helicopter at 200' and no problem. We continued following the runway, so did the helicopter. We passed over the helicopter at about the memorial bridge at a maximum of 300' directly above him and out of our sight. I should have executed a missed approach. I called the assistant tower chief. He said this was a normal occurrence. Our controller (tower operator) should have pointed out the helicopter to us. There was no conflict. I agree there was no conflict, but no one was really in control. The helicopter may not have been aware of us and what if...?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ON RIVER VISUAL APCH CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO HELICOPTER FLYING DOWN THE RIVER.

Narrative: RIVER VISUAL APCH RWY 18. ABOUT 2 MI FROM KEY BRIDGE I SPOTTED AN ACFT SE OF THE BRIDGE MOVING DOWN THE RIVER. AT THE BRIDGE I QUESTIONED THE TWR. THEY ADVISED IT WAS A HELI AT 200' AND NO PROB. WE CONTINUED FOLLOWING THE RWY, SO DID THE HELI. WE PASSED OVER THE HELI AT ABOUT THE MEMORIAL BRIDGE AT A MAX OF 300' DIRECTLY ABOVE HIM AND OUT OF OUR SIGHT. I SHOULD HAVE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. I CALLED THE ASSISTANT TWR CHIEF. HE SAID THIS WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. OUR CTLR (TWR OPERATOR) SHOULD HAVE POINTED OUT THE HELI TO US. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. I AGREE THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, BUT NO ONE WAS REALLY IN CTL. THE HELI MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF US AND WHAT IF...?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.