Air carrier on final approach sees helicopter also on final. Go around.

Attributes
ACN	182966
Time
Date	199106
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bda
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bda tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	182966
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Flight cleared for visibility approach to bermuda was runway 30. When about 16 NM north of bermuda, crew observed and commented on military carrier and 3 escorts anchored off bermuda. When established on final approach (visibility approach using ILS as backup) captain reconfirmed that we were cleared to land. Tower controller acknowledged cleared to land. Passing through about 1200' the F/east pointed out a military helicopter also on final to runway 30. The helicopter appeared to be about 200-300' MSL and well below the glide path. The captain asked the tower about the helicopter. The tower replied they had no radio contact with the helicopter. Tower made several attempts to contact the helicopter with no success. We performed a go around and returned to land west/O incident. Subsequent tower xmissions to the helicopter suggest that the helicopter accepted our landing clearance. Helicopter never transmitted on 118.1 (VHF tower frequency) when asked, ground control stated that helicopters are equipped with VHF communication radios. When mixed military and civil operations occur (bda is a joint use airport) caution must be used to confusion arising from use of VHF and UHF radios. Civil aircraft have no way to monitor UHF clearance or to obtain position information from UHF (only) equipped aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON FINAL APCH SEES HELICOPTER ALSO ON FINAL. GO AROUND.

Narrative: FLT CLRED FOR VIS APCH TO BERMUDA WAS RWY 30. WHEN ABOUT 16 NM N OF BERMUDA, CREW OBSERVED AND COMMENTED ON MIL CARRIER AND 3 ESCORTS ANCHORED OFF BERMUDA. WHEN ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APCH (VIS APCH USING ILS AS BACKUP) CAPT RECONFIRMED THAT WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. TWR CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED CLRED TO LAND. PASSING THROUGH ABOUT 1200' THE F/E POINTED OUT A MIL HELI ALSO ON FINAL TO RWY 30. THE HELI APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 200-300' MSL AND WELL BELOW THE GLIDE PATH. THE CAPT ASKED THE TWR ABOUT THE HELI. THE TWR REPLIED THEY HAD NO RADIO CONTACT WITH THE HELI. TWR MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE HELI WITH NO SUCCESS. WE PERFORMED A GAR AND RETURNED TO LAND W/O INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT TWR XMISSIONS TO THE HELI SUGGEST THAT THE HELI ACCEPTED OUR LNDG CLRNC. HELI NEVER XMITTED ON 118.1 (VHF TWR FREQ) WHEN ASKED, GND CTL STATED THAT HELIS ARE EQUIPPED WITH VHF COM RADIOS. WHEN MIXED MIL AND CIVIL OPS OCCUR (BDA IS A JOINT USE ARPT) CAUTION MUST BE USED TO CONFUSION ARISING FROM USE OF VHF AND UHF RADIOS. CIVIL ACFT HAVE NO WAY TO MONITOR UHF CLRNC OR TO OBTAIN POS INFO FROM UHF (ONLY) EQUIPPED ACFT.

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.