Close proximity air carrier-medium large transport helicopter in bdl arsa.

Attributes
ACN	123793
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2900 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 11750
ASRS Report	123793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 22850 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	123657
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While flying into bdl, we were required to use firewall power and adjust our altitude approximately 700' to avoid a helicopter. Flight was being vectored on a right downwind leg for an ILS approach to runway 24, at an altitude of 3000' MSL, when advised by approach control that traffic was converging on us from the south. Traffic altitude was indicating 2500'. Approach controller gave us a heading for our base leg turn, and advised us to tighten our turn as much as possible, as the traffic appeared to be moving closer to our position, and the mode C now showed the traffic at 2700'. When the captain first saw the tfe, they indicated that it appeared at our altitude and converging on us. I was unable to see the traffic because of the high pitch of the aircraft. I was also in a hard right turn and my eyes were on the instruments. The captain initiated a sharp pull-up to avoid the traffic. As mentioned previously, he used firewall power during the pull-up. Approach control did an excellent job calling the traffic's position to us; this indeed aided us to avoid the traffic. Indeed the helicopter's presence just outside the arsa, near the final approach of runway 24, was a very unwise position to be for the helicopter pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX ACR-MLG HELICOPTER IN BDL ARSA.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING INTO BDL, WE WERE REQUIRED TO USE FIREWALL PWR AND ADJUST OUR ALT APPROX 700' TO AVOID A HELI. FLT WAS BEING VECTORED ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 24, AT AN ALT OF 3000' MSL, WHEN ADVISED BY APCH CTL THAT TFC WAS CONVERGING ON US FROM THE S. TFC ALT WAS INDICATING 2500'. APCH CTLR GAVE US A HDG FOR OUR BASE LEG TURN, AND ADVISED US TO TIGHTEN OUR TURN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AS THE TFC APPEARED TO BE MOVING CLOSER TO OUR POS, AND THE MODE C NOW SHOWED THE TFC AT 2700'. WHEN THE CAPT FIRST SAW THE TFE, THEY INDICATED THAT IT APPEARED AT OUR ALT AND CONVERGING ON US. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE TFC BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PITCH OF THE ACFT. I WAS ALSO IN A HARD RIGHT TURN AND MY EYES WERE ON THE INSTRUMENTS. THE CAPT INITIATED A SHARP PULL-UP TO AVOID THE TFC. AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, HE USED FIREWALL PWR DURING THE PULL-UP. APCH CTL DID AN EXCELLENT JOB CALLING THE TFC'S POS TO US; THIS INDEED AIDED US TO AVOID THE TFC. INDEED THE HELI'S PRESENCE JUST OUTSIDE THE ARSA, NEAR THE FINAL APCH OF RWY 24, WAS A VERY UNWISE POS TO BE FOR THE HELI PLT.

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.