Narrative:

I was on an IMC flight plan in contact with ZKC. It was outbound from flory NDB initiating a turn inbound from a parallel entry when a bonanza on a VMC flight plan crossed our nose right to left at approximately 200 ft below and 300 ft diagonal separation approaching flory on the ILS approach (a VMC practice approach). Salina tower was aware of the presence both aircraft and the VFR traffic had visual contact (tower had advised them). Center had not advised us of the VMC traffic at the time approaching their left front. The left seat pilot was on the controls and the crew chief was on the right side of the aircraft; no visual contact was made prior to the turn. Tower was contacted after landing and they indicated that they had notified center of the VFR traffic. Other people that had been monitoring the radios said tower and the bonanza had discussed the presence of the helicopter and the bonanza had visual contact. In my opinion; center failed to communicate with both the helicopter in their control and the tower; by not letting them know the intent of the helicopter. Also; the handoff to tower was later than normal. The tower and the VFR aircraft could have chosen to break off the approach at a distance that would have avoided a dangerous situation occurring. The discussion with the tower revealed a certain amount of frustration between the 2 entities that needs to be resolved. The other contributing factor could be that center's radar does not adequately receive targets at lower altitudes in the salina area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR MILITARY HELICOPTER WITH ZKC DESCRIBED NMAC WITH UNREPORTED VFR TRAFFIC COMMUNICATING WITH SLN TOWER; REPORTER ALLEGING INTER-FACILITY COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN REGARDING APPROACH PROCEDURES.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IMC FLT PLAN IN CONTACT WITH ZKC. IT WAS OUTBOUND FROM FLORY NDB INITIATING A TURN INBOUND FROM A PARALLEL ENTRY WHEN A BONANZA ON A VMC FLT PLAN CROSSED OUR NOSE R TO L AT APPROX 200 FT BELOW AND 300 FT DIAGONAL SEPARATION APCHING FLORY ON THE ILS APCH (A VMC PRACTICE APCH). SALINA TWR WAS AWARE OF THE PRESENCE BOTH ACFT AND THE VFR TFC HAD VISUAL CONTACT (TWR HAD ADVISED THEM). CTR HAD NOT ADVISED US OF THE VMC TFC AT THE TIME APCHING THEIR L FRONT. THE L SEAT PLT WAS ON THE CTLS AND THE CREW CHIEF WAS ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT; NO VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE PRIOR TO THE TURN. TWR WAS CONTACTED AFTER LNDG AND THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NOTIFIED CTR OF THE VFR TFC. OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN MONITORING THE RADIOS SAID TWR AND THE BONANZA HAD DISCUSSED THE PRESENCE OF THE HELI AND THE BONANZA HAD VISUAL CONTACT. IN MY OPINION; CTR FAILED TO COMMUNICATE WITH BOTH THE HELI IN THEIR CTL AND THE TWR; BY NOT LETTING THEM KNOW THE INTENT OF THE HELI. ALSO; THE HDOF TO TWR WAS LATER THAN NORMAL. THE TWR AND THE VFR ACFT COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO BREAK OFF THE APCH AT A DISTANCE THAT WOULD HAVE AVOIDED A DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCURRING. THE DISCUSSION WITH THE TWR REVEALED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FRUSTRATION BTWN THE 2 ENTITIES THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. THE OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR COULD BE THAT CTR'S RADAR DOES NOT ADEQUATELY RECEIVE TARGETS AT LOWER ALTS IN THE SALINA AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.