Potential conflict between arriving air carrier-medium large transport and departing small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	88193
Time
Date	198805
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lih
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lih
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	88193
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were in a light shower restricting visibility to 2-3 mi with heavier rain and lower visibility directly over the terminal and helicopter pad areas on the opp side of the airport. We called the airport in sight at about 6 mi and continued on the approach course to a base to runway 3. At that position we were told of outbnd helicopter traffic departing the field towards us. We turned on landing lights and the helicopter called us in sight. We did not see the traffic until 2-3 mi from the field . We were at 800'. He was at 800' and approximately 1/2 mi away, heading at us. We continued our approach. The helicopter veered away from us and out of sight. In my opinion, this is another in a long series of too close encounters between turbo jets and helicopter traffic at lih. It was a situation partially worsened by the controller, since he permitted the helicopter to depart in low visibility toward an arriving turbo jet, which had just been directed to cross (base leg to runway 3) the helicopter's departure path. There needs to be a separate landing/takeoff facility for the rotor craft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN ARRIVING ACR-MLG AND DEPARTING SMA.

Narrative: WE WERE IN A LIGHT SHOWER RESTRICTING VIS TO 2-3 MI WITH HEAVIER RAIN AND LOWER VIS DIRECTLY OVER THE TERMINAL AND HELI PAD AREAS ON THE OPP SIDE OF THE ARPT. WE CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AT ABOUT 6 MI AND CONTINUED ON THE APCH COURSE TO A BASE TO RWY 3. AT THAT POS WE WERE TOLD OF OUTBND HELI TFC DEPARTING THE FIELD TOWARDS US. WE TURNED ON LNDG LIGHTS AND THE HELI CALLED US IN SIGHT. WE DID NOT SEE THE TFC UNTIL 2-3 MI FROM THE FIELD . WE WERE AT 800'. HE WAS AT 800' AND APPROX 1/2 MI AWAY, HDG AT US. WE CONTINUED OUR APCH. THE HELI VEERED AWAY FROM US AND OUT OF SIGHT. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS ANOTHER IN A LONG SERIES OF TOO CLOSE ENCOUNTERS BTWN TURBO JETS AND HELI TFC AT LIH. IT WAS A SITUATION PARTIALLY WORSENED BY THE CTLR, SINCE HE PERMITTED THE HELI TO DEPART IN LOW VIS TOWARD AN ARRIVING TURBO JET, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN DIRECTED TO CROSS (BASE LEG TO RWY 3) THE HELI'S DEP PATH. THERE NEEDS TO BE A SEPARATE LNDG/TKOF FAC FOR THE ROTOR CRAFT.

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