Air carrier executes go around due to TCASII RA reference traffic on approach path.

Attributes
ACN	239721
Time
Date	199304
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ont
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	landing : missed approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	239721
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After receiving landing clearance from mia tower for runway 9R, we were advised that a helicopter was orbiting below 500 ft in the area of runway 9R approach path. We were unable to acquire this traffic visually but received several TCASII TA's. The target was indicating slightly right of our aircraft and at 300 ft. At approximately 500 ft AGL we received a TCASII RA climb advisory and since neither of us could see the traffic, the captain elected to go around. The traffic now appeared directly in front of us on our HSI's. During the subsequent go around we were given heading and instructed to climb to 3000 ft and contact departure control. During the go around, probably due in part to the very high workload of confign changes, power adjustments, frequency changes and heading changes, the captain (PF) although acknowledging the assigned altitude as we approached 3000 ft was unable to level our aircraft immediately and we reached 3300 ft before recovery was made to 3000 ft. The go around should have been unnecessary as allowing a helicopter to orbit on the final approach path at 300 ft AGL, to a high density air carrier runway, seems to be asking for trouble.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR EXECUTES GAR DUE TO TCASII RA REF TFC ON APCH PATH.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING LNDG CLRNC FROM MIA TWR FOR RWY 9R, WE WERE ADVISED THAT A HELI WAS ORBITING BELOW 500 FT IN THE AREA OF RWY 9R APCH PATH. WE WERE UNABLE TO ACQUIRE THIS TFC VISUALLY BUT RECEIVED SEVERAL TCASII TA'S. THE TARGET WAS INDICATING SLIGHTLY R OF OUR ACFT AND AT 300 FT. AT APPROX 500 FT AGL WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA CLB ADVISORY AND SINCE NEITHER OF US COULD SEE THE TFC, THE CAPT ELECTED TO GAR. THE TFC NOW APPEARED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US ON OUR HSI'S. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT GAR WE WERE GIVEN HDG AND INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO 3000 FT AND CONTACT DEP CTL. DURING THE GAR, PROBABLY DUE IN PART TO THE VERY HIGH WORKLOAD OF CONFIGN CHANGES, PWR ADJUSTMENTS, FREQ CHANGES AND HDG CHANGES, THE CAPT (PF) ALTHOUGH ACKNOWLEDGING THE ASSIGNED ALT AS WE APCHED 3000 FT WAS UNABLE TO LEVEL OUR ACFT IMMEDIATELY AND WE REACHED 3300 FT BEFORE RECOVERY WAS MADE TO 3000 FT. THE GAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNNECESSARY AS ALLOWING A HELI TO ORBIT ON THE FINAL APCH PATH AT 300 FT AGL, TO A HIGH DENSITY ACR RWY, SEEMS TO BE ASKING FOR TROUBLE.

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.