MD80 on 2 mi final landing dfw receive TA from tower and a TCASII RA, but did not see helicopter cro...

Attributes
ACN	494780
Time
Date	200012
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	494780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Near midair collision. XA56Z, 12000 ft, dfw tower. Location: 2 mi final runway 35C dfw. Copilot flying, descending on night visual approach. Tower reported helicopter passing ahead (below) and that traffic had us in sight. We never saw him. At approximately 1200 ft MSL, received RA 'monitor vertical speed.' I directed copilot to respond to the RA. TCASII showed closest separation of 400 ft. Once clear, we continued to an uneventful landing. On rollout we notified tower about the RA. His reply was to ask if we had heard his advisory earlier. We replied affirmative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 ON 2 MI FINAL LNDG DFW RECEIVE TA FROM TWR AND A TCASII RA, BUT DID NOT SEE HELI XING BELOW.

Narrative: NMAC. XA56Z, 12000 FT, DFW TWR. LOCATION: 2 MI FINAL RWY 35C DFW. COPLT FLYING, DSNDING ON NIGHT VISUAL APCH. TWR RPTED HELI PASSING AHEAD (BELOW) AND THAT TFC HAD US IN SIGHT. WE NEVER SAW HIM. AT APPROX 1200 FT MSL, RECEIVED RA 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' I DIRECTED COPLT TO RESPOND TO THE RA. TCASII SHOWED CLOSEST SEPARATION OF 400 FT. ONCE CLR, WE CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ON ROLLOUT WE NOTIFIED TWR ABOUT THE RA. HIS REPLY WAS TO ASK IF WE HAD HEARD HIS ADVISORY EARLIER. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE.

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.

MD80 on 2 mi final landing dfw receive TA from tower and a TCASII RA, but did not see helicopter crossing below.