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An medium large transport aircrew had an near midair collision with a helicopter in the traffic pattern at lax.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 216864 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199207 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lax |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 250 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : lax |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 750 |
| ASRS Report | 216864 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 150 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
While operating as flight X, I was conducting a visual approach to lax runway 24R using the ILS as a backup. As we neared the approach lights, we noticed a helicopter moving from right to left at our altitude. This was after our 500 ft call from the radio altitude. I could see that we would pass under him if I continued my descent on the ILS, and in fact passed directly under him at approximately 250 ft AGL over the approach lights. His approximately altitude was 400 AGL putting him about 150 above us. We notified tower as we approached him and was assured they knew he was there. After landing, I contacted the tower supervisor on duty and was told that the helicopter route for crossing the airport is to follow sepulveda boulevard at 1500 ft. This helicopter pilot had followed the correct route and had checked in at 2000 ft but was not equipped with altitude reporting! The tower was led to believe he was over 1500 ft higher than he actually was. I don't know how common this is among helicopter pilots, or why they are not also required to have mode C transponders in a TCA, but I'm writing this report in hopes you can 'get the word out' to these operators about how dangerous this can be.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MLG AIRCREW HAD AN NMAC WITH A HELI IN THE TFC PATTERN AT LAX.
Narrative: WHILE OPERATING AS FLT X, I WAS CONDUCTING A VISUAL APCH TO LAX RWY 24R USING THE ILS AS A BACKUP. AS WE NEARED THE APCH LIGHTS, WE NOTICED A HELI MOVING FROM R TO L AT OUR ALT. THIS WAS AFTER OUR 500 FT CALL FROM THE RADIO ALT. I COULD SEE THAT WE WOULD PASS UNDER HIM IF I CONTINUED MY DSCNT ON THE ILS, AND IN FACT PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER HIM AT APPROX 250 FT AGL OVER THE APCH LIGHTS. HIS APPROX ALT WAS 400 AGL PUTTING HIM ABOUT 150 ABOVE US. WE NOTIFIED TWR AS WE APCHED HIM AND WAS ASSURED THEY KNEW HE WAS THERE. AFTER LNDG, I CONTACTED THE TWR SUPVR ON DUTY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HELI RTE FOR XING THE ARPT IS TO FOLLOW SEPULVEDA BOULEVARD AT 1500 FT. THIS HELI PLT HAD FOLLOWED THE CORRECT RTE AND HAD CHKED IN AT 2000 FT BUT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ALT RPTING! THE TWR WAS LED TO BELIEVE HE WAS OVER 1500 FT HIGHER THAN HE ACTUALLY WAS. I DON'T KNOW HOW COMMON THIS IS AMONG HELI PLTS, OR WHY THEY ARE NOT ALSO REQUIRED TO HAVE MODE C TRANSPONDERS IN A TCA, BUT I'M WRITING THIS RPT IN HOPES YOU CAN 'GET THE WORD OUT' TO THESE OPERATORS ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS CAN BE.
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.