B757 crew had sna tower release a helicopter into the missed approach path of the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	440790
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sna.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 19r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sna.tower
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	440790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance FAA
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

Dangerous sna operating practice. While crossing the freeway at 300 ft, I looked up to see a helicopter, later confirmed by TCASII to be at 500 ft AGL, crossing the field exactly at the midpoint of runway 19R. This aircraft was precisely in the airspace I would have flown through if I had needed to make a missed approach for some reason. After clearing the runway, I queried tower if they had cleared the helicopter through there. They replied in the affirmative and further averred that it was SOP. If it is indeed, then murphy will decree a midair sooner or later.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW HAD SNA TWR RELEASE A HELI INTO THE MISSED APCH PATH OF THE ACFT.

Narrative: DANGEROUS SNA OPERATING PRACTICE. WHILE XING THE FREEWAY AT 300 FT, I LOOKED UP TO SEE A HELI, LATER CONFIRMED BY TCASII TO BE AT 500 FT AGL, XING THE FIELD EXACTLY AT THE MIDPOINT OF RWY 19R. THIS ACFT WAS PRECISELY IN THE AIRSPACE I WOULD HAVE FLOWN THROUGH IF I HAD NEEDED TO MAKE A MISSED APCH FOR SOME REASON. AFTER CLRING THE RWY, I QUERIED TWR IF THEY HAD CLRED THE HELI THROUGH THERE. THEY REPLIED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND FURTHER AVERRED THAT IT WAS SOP. IF IT IS INDEED, THEN MURPHY WILL DECREE A MIDAIR SOONER OR LATER.

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.