Copter came in close proximity to an IFR arrival aircraft while in the TCA.

Attributes
ACN	156725
Time
Date	199009
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	156725
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Aircraft a on approach to runway 24 at stl (IFR) came within 300' vertically and approximately 1000' horizontally of aircraft B (VFR helicopter). I was assigned to local control north position at stl working runways 24 and 30R. I took a point-out on aircraft B that was being provided ATC service by the local control south position. As I scanned my airspace using the aid of BRITE radar, I observed the aircraft to be on converging courses. I gave traffic information to aircraft a, then asked local control south what the helicopter was doing. I was advised by local control south that the helicopter was monitoring my frequency. I immediately issued traffic to the helicopter. No visibility sep was being provided by me nor did either aircraft see the other. Observing that the helicopter appeared to be tracking northbound, I issued a left turn westbound to the helicopter. I then visly saw the helicopter start a left turn, then an abrupt right turn to clear the approach course of aircraft a. At approximately this time both aircraft advised visibility contact. Contributing factor include poor coordination between local control south and local control north. I accepted a point-out and issued traffic to local control south. No action by local control south to maintain sep between aircraft took place. Situation occurred because there was lack of attention on local control part to provide legal and safe sep. My suggestion is do not accept point-outs in such traffic situations. Provide ATC service in your delegated airspace only, and xfer control of aircraft to affected position when aircraft enters another controllers jurisdiction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COPTER CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO AN IFR ARR ACFT WHILE IN THE TCA.

Narrative: ACFT A ON APCH TO RWY 24 AT STL (IFR) CAME WITHIN 300' VERTICALLY AND APPROX 1000' HORIZLY OF ACFT B (VFR HELI). I WAS ASSIGNED TO LC N POS AT STL WORKING RWYS 24 AND 30R. I TOOK A POINT-OUT ON ACFT B THAT WAS BEING PROVIDED ATC SVC BY THE LC S POS. AS I SCANNED MY AIRSPACE USING THE AID OF BRITE RADAR, I OBSERVED THE ACFT TO BE ON CONVERGING COURSES. I GAVE TFC INFO TO ACFT A, THEN ASKED LC S WHAT THE HELI WAS DOING. I WAS ADVISED BY LC S THAT THE HELI WAS MONITORING MY FREQ. I IMMEDIATELY ISSUED TFC TO THE HELI. NO VIS SEP WAS BEING PROVIDED BY ME NOR DID EITHER ACFT SEE THE OTHER. OBSERVING THAT THE HELI APPEARED TO BE TRACKING NBND, I ISSUED A L TURN WBND TO THE HELI. I THEN VISLY SAW THE HELI START A L TURN, THEN AN ABRUPT R TURN TO CLR THE APCH COURSE OF ACFT A. AT APPROX THIS TIME BOTH ACFT ADVISED VIS CONTACT. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR INCLUDE POOR COORD BTWN LC S AND LC N. I ACCEPTED A POINT-OUT AND ISSUED TFC TO LC S. NO ACTION BY LC S TO MAINTAIN SEP BTWN ACFT TOOK PLACE. SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE THERE WAS LACK OF ATTN ON LC PART TO PROVIDE LEGAL AND SAFE SEP. MY SUGGESTION IS DO NOT ACCEPT POINT-OUTS IN SUCH TFC SITUATIONS. PROVIDE ATC SVC IN YOUR DELEGATED AIRSPACE ONLY, AND XFER CTL OF ACFT TO AFFECTED POS WHEN ACFT ENTERS ANOTHER CTLRS JURISDICTION.

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.