Narrative:

Flying a helicopter inbound to islip long island mac arthur for landing, made contact with long island radar at approximately 15 NM northeast for entry into the arsa. Was given a code and I advised I was at 3000 ft descending to 1000 ft MSL. Radar turned me over to tower at a point 8 NM northeast of the field at that time tower asked for a position report 1 NM northeast for landing instructions. At this time let me tell you that the field was saturated with traffic both landing and taking off. It was obvious that the tower controller was up to his neck in lndgs of airlines, commuter and above all 'training aircraft'. They were using runway 34 at the time for all operations, and at the same time there were 2 helicopters training in the center field of the airport. At that point (2 NM northeast at 800 ft) an small aircraft that was making touch-and-go's flew directly in our flight path. Evasive action was taken by both aircraft (both broke to the right). Another 10 seconds of flight would have resulted in a catastrophic midair collision. I might add that the tower operator at no time gave me as traffic nor did he give me the small aircraft as traffic. The tower operator asked me if I was at 600 ft and I replied that I was at 800 ft never having been given an altitude by tower. I have been flying the congested northeast corridor for almost 30 yrs and I have found that helicopters are not afforded the time and effort that is given to fixed wing aircraft. In my humble opinion, this particular airport is very dangerous with the mixture of airlines, cpr, commuter and the heavy load of training aircraft. At this particular time the setting sun was in my eyes and if it were not for the immediate response of both pilots we would all be history.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI ENTERING TFC PATTERN COMPLYING WITH TWR INSTRUCTIONS HAS NMAC WITH SMA.

Narrative: FLYING A HELI INBOUND TO ISLIP LONG ISLAND MAC ARTHUR FOR LNDG, MADE CONTACT WITH LONG ISLAND RADAR AT APPROX 15 NM NE FOR ENTRY INTO THE ARSA. WAS GIVEN A CODE AND I ADVISED I WAS AT 3000 FT DSNDING TO 1000 FT MSL. RADAR TURNED ME OVER TO TWR AT A POINT 8 NM NE OF THE FIELD AT THAT TIME TWR ASKED FOR A POS RPT 1 NM NE FOR LNDG INSTRUCTIONS. AT THIS TIME LET ME TELL YOU THAT THE FIELD WAS SATURATED WITH TFC BOTH LNDG AND TAKING OFF. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE TWR CTLR WAS UP TO HIS NECK IN LNDGS OF AIRLINES, COMMUTER AND ABOVE ALL 'TRAINING ACFT'. THEY WERE USING RWY 34 AT THE TIME FOR ALL OPS, AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE WERE 2 HELIS TRAINING IN THE CTR FIELD OF THE ARPT. AT THAT POINT (2 NM NE AT 800 FT) AN SMA THAT WAS MAKING TOUCH-AND-GO'S FLEW DIRECTLY IN OUR FLT PATH. EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BY BOTH ACFT (BOTH BROKE TO THE R). ANOTHER 10 SECONDS OF FLT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC MIDAIR COLLISION. I MIGHT ADD THAT THE TWR OPERATOR AT NO TIME GAVE ME AS TFC NOR DID HE GIVE ME THE SMA AS TFC. THE TWR OPERATOR ASKED ME IF I WAS AT 600 FT AND I REPLIED THAT I WAS AT 800 FT NEVER HAVING BEEN GIVEN AN ALT BY TWR. I HAVE BEEN FLYING THE CONGESTED NE CORRIDOR FOR ALMOST 30 YRS AND I HAVE FOUND THAT HELIS ARE NOT AFFORDED THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT IS GIVEN TO FIXED WING ACFT. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THIS PARTICULAR ARPT IS VERY DANGEROUS WITH THE MIXTURE OF AIRLINES, CPR, COMMUTER AND THE HVY LOAD OF TRAINING ACFT. AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME THE SETTING SUN WAS IN MY EYES AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE OF BOTH PLTS WE WOULD ALL BE HISTORY.

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.