Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from auo to mcn. Mcn approach was holding us up at an altitude of 6000'. Helicopter traffic was given at our 2-3 O'clock position at 4 mi and 4000'. Acknowledgement was made at the traffic. Mcn then cleared us for a visual approach. From a heading of 090 degree a right turn was made and a descent started in order to pass behind the traffic and square off to a base for runway 5. Upon rollout it was obvious that we could not pass behind the traffic and at our rate of descent and heading would be very close if not a possible collision. Our rate of descent was stopped at 4200' and a turn to the left was begun. The helicopter passed behind and below us. The approach controller noted 'that was very close on my scope.' no further comment was made by the controller or myself. Since helicopter was military not known what was said nor any action he made in avoidance. A descent should not have been made until the traffic had passed. Turns without dscnts would have given more time to make a normal approach and not caused a conflict. Being held so high so close to airport resulted in poor judgement to lose altitude without wasting time in holding or circling to another runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRBORNE CONFLICT BETWEEN SMT AND MIL HELICOPTER.

Narrative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

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