B737 crew encounters helicopter and takes evasive action to avoid helicopter passing through approac...

Attributes
ACN	428841
Time
Date	199902
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bna.tracon
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	428841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was approaching bna from northwest. Flight was cleared for a visual approach runway 2L. Captain was conducting the approach. Turning base from a left downwind position, approach control informed the flight that there was VFR helicopter crossing the approach path at 2500 ft MSL. Copilot responded, 'looking, no contact.' with 45 degrees of turn remaining to line up with runway 2L and at 3200 ft MSL, TCASII RA warning occurred, commanding leveloff. Captain leveled off and stopped his turn, rolling wings level. Helicopter passed directly below the aircraft. Estimated distance less than 500 ft. Flight continued approach to an uneventful landing. Postflt, captain telephoned approach control supervisor. Captain was informed that the helicopter was VFR and acknowledged he had our aircraft in sight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW ENCOUNTERS HELI AND TAKES EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID HELI PASSING THROUGH APCH PATH AT BNA.

Narrative: FLT WAS APCHING BNA FROM NW. FLT WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH RWY 2L. CAPT WAS CONDUCTING THE APCH. TURNING BASE FROM A L DOWNWIND POS, APCH CTL INFORMED THE FLT THAT THERE WAS VFR HELI XING THE APCH PATH AT 2500 FT MSL. COPLT RESPONDED, 'LOOKING, NO CONTACT.' WITH 45 DEGS OF TURN REMAINING TO LINE UP WITH RWY 2L AND AT 3200 FT MSL, TCASII RA WARNING OCCURRED, COMMANDING LEVELOFF. CAPT LEVELED OFF AND STOPPED HIS TURN, ROLLING WINGS LEVEL. HELI PASSED DIRECTLY BELOW THE ACFT. ESTIMATED DISTANCE LESS THAN 500 FT. FLT CONTINUED APCH TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. POSTFLT, CAPT TELEPHONED APCH CTL SUPVR. CAPT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HELI WAS VFR AND ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD OUR ACFT IN SIGHT.

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.

B737 crew encounters helicopter and takes evasive action to avoid helicopter passing through approach path at bna.