A320 captain reported experiencing an near midair collision with a helicopter on the mount vernon ap...

Attributes
ACN	1258213
Time
Date	201504
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	DCA.Airport
State Reference	DC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	Cruise
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180 Flight Crew Total 16500 Flight Crew Type 3600
Person 2
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 174 Flight Crew Total 1187 Flight Crew Type 961
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Vertical 300

Narrative:

On the mount vernon visual on 11 mile final and level at 2500 ft; potomac advised us of pop-up helicopter traffic 500 feet below our altitude. Due to the potential conflict potomac cancelled our approach clearance and said to maintain 2500 feet. We had no traffic displayed on the TCAS at that time. A few seconds later at about 10 mile final the traffic displayed in red and we received a TCAS resolution advisory (RA) to climb. We climbed and told ATC that we were climbing due to the RA. The 'climb' warning stopped after about 300 feet; we deviated about 500 (3000 MSL) in total. After the 'clear of conflict' alert we returned to 2500 feet. We then asked for a new clearance to get back in sequence for arrival. I informed potomac that I would file a report. I saw 400 feet on the TCAS as the closest distance between the two aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 Captain reported experiencing an NMAC with a helicopter on the Mount Vernon Approach to DCA.

Narrative: On the Mount Vernon Visual on 11 mile final and level at 2500 ft; Potomac advised us of pop-up helicopter traffic 500 feet below our altitude. Due to the potential conflict Potomac cancelled our approach clearance and said to maintain 2500 feet. We had no traffic displayed on the TCAS at that time. A few seconds later at about 10 mile final the traffic displayed in red and we received a TCAS resolution advisory (RA) to climb. We climbed and told ATC that we were climbing due to the RA. The 'climb' warning stopped after about 300 feet; we deviated about 500 (3000 MSL) in total. After the 'clear of conflict' alert we returned to 2500 feet. We then asked for a new clearance to get back in sequence for arrival. I informed Potomac that I would file a report. I saw 400 feet on the TCAS as the closest distance between the two aircraft.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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 captain reported experiencing an near midair collision with a helicopter on the mount vernon approach to dca.