Helicopter flew in front of an slightly higher than light transport-commuter on short final.

Attributes
ACN	95893
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lgb
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lgb
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	95893
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were doing the visual approach into lgb runway 30. About 2-3 mi out we heard a helicopter call inbound for landing. After the helicopter reported us in sight he was cleared to land at xyz ramp (I didn't understand where) at pilot's own risk. About this time I spotted him ahead and to my left. We were now about 1 mi final. Much to my surprise as we approached the threshold the helicopter crossed in front of us at an altitude of about 200-300 MSL. This eliminated any option we had to make a go around. If we had attempted a go around our chances of not hitting the helicopter were about 50/50. Since the go around option is a safety option--had I known he was going to cross in front of us--I would have abandoned the approach while it was safe. Unfortunately this type of occurrence is not uncommon at lgb. In my last 2 dozen arrs this is the second time the tower has created a conflict to such a degree. Much of their problem stems from the mix of traffic and confusing hodge-podge of runways and traffic patterns. Among other things, the controllers don't seem to understand that sometimes a pilot must do the unexpected (go around) for safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER FLEW IN FRONT OF AN SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN LTT-COMMUTER ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: WE WERE DOING THE VISUAL APCH INTO LGB RWY 30. ABOUT 2-3 MI OUT WE HEARD A HELI CALL INBND FOR LNDG. AFTER THE HELI RPTED US IN SIGHT HE WAS CLRED TO LAND AT XYZ RAMP (I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE) AT PLT'S OWN RISK. ABOUT THIS TIME I SPOTTED HIM AHEAD AND TO MY LEFT. WE WERE NOW ABOUT 1 MI FINAL. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE AS WE APCHED THE THRESHOLD THE HELI CROSSED IN FRONT OF US AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 200-300 MSL. THIS ELIMINATED ANY OPTION WE HAD TO MAKE A GO AROUND. IF WE HAD ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND OUR CHANCES OF NOT HITTING THE HELI WERE ABOUT 50/50. SINCE THE GO AROUND OPTION IS A SAFETY OPTION--HAD I KNOWN HE WAS GOING TO CROSS IN FRONT OF US--I WOULD HAVE ABANDONED THE APCH WHILE IT WAS SAFE. UNFORTUNATELY THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE IS NOT UNCOMMON AT LGB. IN MY LAST 2 DOZEN ARRS THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE TWR HAS CREATED A CONFLICT TO SUCH A DEG. MUCH OF THEIR PROB STEMS FROM THE MIX OF TFC AND CONFUSING HODGE-PODGE OF RWYS AND TFC PATTERNS. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE CTLRS DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES A PLT MUST DO THE UNEXPECTED (GO AROUND) FOR SAFETY.

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.