A tower local control trainee; their instructor and a helicopter pilot reported the trainee cleared ...

Narrative:

I was receiving training on local control. A helicopter came in from the north and was cleared to land runway xx. Upon landing; the helicopter requested to perform hover work on runway xx and I approved it; with no other traffic inbound. I then placed the helicopter memory aid on the radar display. Aircraft X reported on with me; approximately 6 miles east of the airfield. His data tag [showed] he was on a visual approach to runway xx. I issued traffic to aircraft X; for a C182 approximately 3 miles west of aircraft X. Aircraft Z reported aircraft X in sight to be no factor. I then issued traffic for aircraft a who was 2 miles west of the extended final. Aircraft a reported aircraft X in sight; and he was approved for visual separation.I then scanned runway xx and cleared aircraft X to land. I did not see the helicopter on the runway. I do not know if it was assumption bias; or the helicopter was behind a window beam from my perspective; or because the helicopter was black and seemed to blend in- I just didn't see him and I didn't scan the tdw (tower display workstation) to see the helicopter memory aid.aircraft X was approximately half-mile final; and asked if there was a dark piece of asphalt on the runway; or if it was a helicopter. I immediately remembered the helicopter and told aircraft X that his landing clearance was cancelled and to make a go-around on the right side of the runway. Aircraft X came back stating that I was cut off; and asked about the dark mark on the runway. At this point; [the] helicopter was picking up from the runway; to a taxiway on the right side. So I told aircraft X to go-around again; without the 'right side' instruction. Aircraft X stated that there must be something wrong with our radios and he was going around. I then instructed aircraft X to enter right closed traffic and coordinated this with approach control. [The] helicopter asked to taxi back to the ramp; so I issued him taxi instructions across the intersecting runway; then to ground control frequency. I was then relieved from the position and the relieving controller cleared aircraft X to land with no further incidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Tower Local Control Trainee; their instructor and a helicopter pilot reported the Trainee cleared an aircraft to land with a helicopter hovering over the runway.

Narrative: I was receiving training on Local Control. A helicopter came in from the north and was cleared to land Runway XX. Upon landing; the helicopter requested to perform hover work on Runway XX and I approved it; with no other traffic inbound. I then placed the helicopter memory aid on the radar display. Aircraft X reported on with me; approximately 6 miles east of the airfield. His data tag [showed] he was on a visual approach to Runway XX. I issued traffic to Aircraft X; for a C182 approximately 3 miles west of Aircraft X. Aircraft Z reported Aircraft X in sight to be no factor. I then issued traffic for Aircraft A who was 2 miles west of the extended final. Aircraft A reported Aircraft X in sight; and he was approved for visual separation.I then scanned Runway XX and cleared Aircraft X to land. I did not see the helicopter on the runway. I do not know if it was assumption bias; or the helicopter was behind a window beam from my perspective; or because the helicopter was black and seemed to blend in- I just didn't see him and I didn't scan the TDW (Tower Display Workstation) to see the helicopter memory aid.Aircraft X was approximately half-mile final; and asked if there was a dark piece of asphalt on the runway; or if it was a helicopter. I immediately remembered the helicopter and told Aircraft X that his landing clearance was cancelled and to make a go-around on the right side of the runway. Aircraft X came back stating that I was cut off; and asked about the dark mark on the runway. At this point; [the] helicopter was picking up from the runway; to a taxiway on the right side. So I told Aircraft X to go-around again; without the 'right side' instruction. Aircraft X stated that there must be something wrong with our radios and he was going around. I then instructed Aircraft X to enter right closed traffic and coordinated this with Approach Control. [The] helicopter asked to taxi back to the ramp; so I issued him taxi instructions across the intersecting runway; then to Ground Control frequency. I was then relieved from the position and the relieving Controller cleared Aircraft X to land with no further incidents.

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.

Attributes
ACN	1663531
Time
Date	201907
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Light Transport Low Wing 2 Turboprop Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Other Hovering
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Trainee Local
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Developmental
Person 2
Function	Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Rotorcraft Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100 Flight Crew Total 10000 Flight Crew Type 900
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict NMAC

A tower local control trainee; their instructor and a helicopter pilot reported the trainee cleared an aircraft to land with a helicopter hovering over the runway.