C182 circles on final to avoid helicopter on approach to same runway.

Attributes
ACN	707883
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dto.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1650
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dto.tower artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dto.tower
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 410 flight time type : 65
ASRS Report	707883
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

I was cleared to land #1 at dto on runway 17. I was on a right base at about 2 mi from the threshold. The tower informed me I had traffic; which was a helicopter; on a longer straight in final; and to advise when I had this traffic in sight. The helicopter was shooting an ILS to runway 17. I spotted the traffic slightly off my nose to the left at about 500 ft horizontal distance and only 100-200 ft of vertical separation. I immediately made a left hand; slightly climbing; 360 degree turn for spacing and advised tower as soon as practical and as soon as the radio was clear for transmission. Upon notification to the tower; I was informed to turn directly toward the runway and continue for landing and the helicopter was going to sidestep the runway for practice lndgs. I landed without further incident and taxied in to the ramp. The tower kindly advised me that he was going to have the helicopter sidestep the runway to allow for spacing. I; upon seeing the helicopter on final; was not comfortable with this amount of spacing and took immediate and appropriate action to allow for a larger margin of safety.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 CIRCLES ON FINAL TO AVOID HELI ON APCH TO SAME RWY.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND #1 AT DTO ON RWY 17. I WAS ON A R BASE AT ABOUT 2 MI FROM THE THRESHOLD. THE TWR INFORMED ME I HAD TFC; WHICH WAS A HELI; ON A LONGER STRAIGHT IN FINAL; AND TO ADVISE WHEN I HAD THIS TFC IN SIGHT. THE HELI WAS SHOOTING AN ILS TO RWY 17. I SPOTTED THE TFC SLIGHTLY OFF MY NOSE TO THE L AT ABOUT 500 FT HORIZ DISTANCE AND ONLY 100-200 FT OF VERT SEPARATION. I IMMEDIATELY MADE A L HAND; SLIGHTLY CLBING; 360 DEG TURN FOR SPACING AND ADVISED TWR AS SOON AS PRACTICAL AND AS SOON AS THE RADIO WAS CLR FOR XMISSION. UPON NOTIFICATION TO THE TWR; I WAS INFORMED TO TURN DIRECTLY TOWARD THE RWY AND CONTINUE FOR LNDG AND THE HELI WAS GOING TO SIDESTEP THE RWY FOR PRACTICE LNDGS. I LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND TAXIED IN TO THE RAMP. THE TWR KINDLY ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE THE HELI SIDESTEP THE RWY TO ALLOW FOR SPACING. I; UPON SEEING THE HELI ON FINAL; WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AMOUNT OF SPACING AND TOOK IMMEDIATE AND APPROPRIATE ACTION TO ALLOW FOR A LARGER MARGIN OF SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.