Narrative:

On final approach to runway 10, was told by tower to maintain maximum speed, so flew at 140 KTS. Then at last moment told to land on runway 8. Turned onto runway 8 and was fast and high. Decided to go around. Told right seat pilot (ATP with 9000 hours) to inform tower. He hesitated as I began go around. I repeated and he called tower (he was handling radios on that flight). We were told by tower to fly runway heading, but suddenly saw a helicopter coming from the right into our path. I turned sharp left and held altitude (about 200-300 ft). After we were clear and over water, the right seat pilot asked if we could land at the reliever airport (isla grande) and clear united states customs there (we were on an IFR flight plan from martinique and had notified united states customs of our expected arrival at sju). The ATC controller said that was ok, so we flew VFR to isla grande (tjsj) and landed. ATC asked 'what is going on?' but never mentioned the helicopter traffic to us, nor questioned why we turned left. We were not asked to phone after landing. We were in contact with ATC/tower at all times until on the ground. 2 days later, isla grande operations gave us a note that said that FAA wanted us to call. I called immediately and was told by the FAA supervisor that: 1) they were entitled to dispatch the helicopter across the runway because 'our landing was assured.' 2) the helicopter was then asked to hold position and would have stopped before hitting us. 3) there was no need to advise us of the traffic because they advised the helicopter. 4) they did not question us about my evasive maneuver (left turn) because they didn't want to upset me, and for the same reason they did not request a phone call after we landed. My mistake was that I should have made the radio calls myself and not relied on my copilot. I should have called out the traffic to ATC and announced my turn, but I was busy flying the plane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A TURBOPROP SMA STARTING TO MAKE A GAR DUE TO BEING HIGH AND FAST, AND A HELI CONVERGING FROM THE R ACROSS THE SMA'S FLT PATH. THE SMA MADE AN EVASIVE ACTION TURNOUT AND FLEW TO ANOTHER ARPT FOR LNDG.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 10, WAS TOLD BY TWR TO MAINTAIN MAX SPD, SO FLEW AT 140 KTS. THEN AT LAST MOMENT TOLD TO LAND ON RWY 8. TURNED ONTO RWY 8 AND WAS FAST AND HIGH. DECIDED TO GO AROUND. TOLD R SEAT PLT (ATP WITH 9000 HRS) TO INFORM TWR. HE HESITATED AS I BEGAN GAR. I REPEATED AND HE CALLED TWR (HE WAS HANDLING RADIOS ON THAT FLT). WE WERE TOLD BY TWR TO FLY RWY HDG, BUT SUDDENLY SAW A HELI COMING FROM THE R INTO OUR PATH. I TURNED SHARP L AND HELD ALT (ABOUT 200-300 FT). AFTER WE WERE CLR AND OVER WATER, THE R SEAT PLT ASKED IF WE COULD LAND AT THE RELIEVER ARPT (ISLA GRANDE) AND CLR UNITED STATES CUSTOMS THERE (WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MARTINIQUE AND HAD NOTIFIED UNITED STATES CUSTOMS OF OUR EXPECTED ARR AT SJU). THE ATC CTLR SAID THAT WAS OK, SO WE FLEW VFR TO ISLA GRANDE (TJSJ) AND LANDED. ATC ASKED 'WHAT IS GOING ON?' BUT NEVER MENTIONED THE HELI TFC TO US, NOR QUESTIONED WHY WE TURNED L. WE WERE NOT ASKED TO PHONE AFTER LNDG. WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH ATC/TWR AT ALL TIMES UNTIL ON THE GND. 2 DAYS LATER, ISLA GRANDE OPS GAVE US A NOTE THAT SAID THAT FAA WANTED US TO CALL. I CALLED IMMEDIATELY AND WAS TOLD BY THE FAA SUPVR THAT: 1) THEY WERE ENTITLED TO DISPATCH THE HELI ACROSS THE RWY BECAUSE 'OUR LNDG WAS ASSURED.' 2) THE HELI WAS THEN ASKED TO HOLD POS AND WOULD HAVE STOPPED BEFORE HITTING US. 3) THERE WAS NO NEED TO ADVISE US OF THE TFC BECAUSE THEY ADVISED THE HELI. 4) THEY DID NOT QUESTION US ABOUT MY EVASIVE MANEUVER (L TURN) BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO UPSET ME, AND FOR THE SAME REASON THEY DID NOT REQUEST A PHONE CALL AFTER WE LANDED. MY MISTAKE WAS THAT I SHOULD HAVE MADE THE RADIO CALLS MYSELF AND NOT RELIED ON MY COPLT. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED OUT THE TFC TO ATC AND ANNOUNCED MY TURN, BUT I WAS BUSY FLYING THE PLANE.

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.