Narrative:

I was working whiting arrival and departure sectors combined. In addition to aircraft landing/departing nse; these sectors are required by LOA to work VFR military helicopters in the 'lakes' area. The lakes area is a large area between nse and cew where helicopters do VFR work. The problem is much of this area lies within eglin AFB approach airspace; and it's also inside MOA a; which is controled by eglin approach. We point out the helicopters to eglin; but we do not know what traffic is working in the MOA. In this case; the helicopter was working over the cew VORTAC at 3000 ft. This is well inside eglin airspace. I observed high speed (about 250 knots) traffic about 5 south of helicopter at heading toward him at the same altitude. (I think this may have been a C130 that was exiting MOA a; but I don't know that for sure.) I began calling traffic. The targets merged and I believe they were only 300 ft apart vertically. The helicopter didn't get the traffic in sight until the targets merged. He advised on the radio; 'that was too close;' and asked that we mark the tapes. This procedure needs to be changed before we have a mid-air. Eglin approach should be working these helicopters when they are in eglin's airspace -- especially when they are operating inside an active MOA controled by eglin! Controllers at P31 have repeatedly asked facility management to change this dangerous procedure; but to no avail. Controllers have filed NASA forms; ucr's; and have contacted the FAA safety hotline about this unsafe situation; but nothing has changed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicated that the subject problem was still occurring; adding that the specifics of the procedure are vaguely outlined in an LOA. The reporter also stated that the traffic pointouts provided by the military controllers are sketchy and indicate that after the subject incident; the helicopter pilot filed an near midair collision. The reporter again stated that the procedure was an unsafe condition and needed to be changed.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 CTLR DESCRIBED NMAC AT 3000 FT BETWEEN MIL HELI AND UNKNOWN TFC CITING P31/EGLIN AFB AIRSPACE/OPERATIONAL PROC AS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING WHITING ARR AND DEP SECTORS COMBINED. IN ADDITION TO ACFT LNDG/DEPARTING NSE; THESE SECTORS ARE REQUIRED BY LOA TO WORK VFR MIL HELICOPTERS IN THE 'LAKES' AREA. THE LAKES AREA IS A LARGE AREA BETWEEN NSE AND CEW WHERE HELICOPTERS DO VFR WORK. THE PROB IS MUCH OF THIS AREA LIES WITHIN EGLIN AFB APCH AIRSPACE; AND IT'S ALSO INSIDE MOA A; WHICH IS CTLED BY EGLIN APCH. WE POINT OUT THE HELICOPTERS TO EGLIN; BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT TFC IS WORKING IN THE MOA. IN THIS CASE; THE HELICOPTER WAS WORKING OVER THE CEW VORTAC AT 3000 FT. THIS IS WELL INSIDE EGLIN AIRSPACE. I OBSERVED HIGH SPD (ABOUT 250 KNOTS) TFC ABOUT 5 SOUTH OF HELICOPTER AT HEADING TOWARD HIM AT THE SAME ALT. (I THINK THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A C130 THAT WAS EXITING MOA A; BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE.) I BEGAN CALLING TFC. THE TARGETS MERGED AND I BELIEVE THEY WERE ONLY 300 FT APART VERTICALLY. THE HELICOPTER DIDN'T GET THE TFC IN SIGHT UNTIL THE TARGETS MERGED. HE ADVISED ON THE RADIO; 'THAT WAS TOO CLOSE;' AND ASKED THAT WE MARK THE TAPES. THIS PROCEDURE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED BEFORE WE HAVE A MID-AIR. EGLIN APCH SHOULD BE WORKING THESE HELICOPTERS WHEN THEY ARE IN EGLIN'S AIRSPACE -- ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE OPERATING INSIDE AN ACTIVE MOA CTLED BY EGLIN! CTLRS AT P31 HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED FACILITY MANAGEMENT TO CHANGE THIS DANGEROUS PROCEDURE; BUT TO NO AVAIL. CTLRS HAVE FILED NASA FORMS; UCR'S; AND HAVE CONTACTED THE FAA SAFETY HOTLINE ABOUT THIS UNSAFE SITUATION; BUT NOTHING HAS CHANGED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATED THAT THE SUBJECT PROB WAS STILL OCCURRING; ADDING THAT THE SPECIFICS OF THE PROC ARE VAGUELY OUTLINED IN AN LOA. THE RPTR ALSO STATED THAT THE TFC POINTOUTS PROVIDED BY THE MILITARY CTLRS ARE SKETCHY AND INDICATE THAT AFTER THE SUBJECT INCIDENT; THE HELI PLT FILED AN NMAC. THE RPTR AGAIN STATED THAT THE PROC WAS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.

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.