Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 42; Flight Crew Total 8700; Flight Crew Type 2600
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
I was cleared for a visual approach to Runway 34. When I checked in on Tower they advised of helicopter traffic which was to my right. I reported traffic was not in sight. Tower advised helicopter of my position again. Helicopter reported he had me in sight. My situational awareness placed the helicopter below me and passing beneath me from right to left and it sounded like he would be using the parallel Runway 35.I intentionally flew a significantly higher than normal visual approach to pass well above the Runway 35 final approach course. Upon joining the Runway 34 LOC I began a descent and got one TCAS 'traffic' call and observed a target -300 below me. I pulled up again and the target disappeared about 10 seconds later and I began a descent to try to join the glideslope to stabilize my approach. After selecting full flaps I noticed out of my peripheral vision to the right a helicopter at my altitude less than 100 feet off my right wing. When I looked to the right the helicopter was veering away from me to the right and I initiated a slight turn to the left to make sure I missed him.I asked the Tower if he had seen the helicopter I had missed by less than 100 feet on the final approach course and got no response. I made a normal landing and exited and asked what the call sign of the helicopter was so it would get on the tape for review. After landing I called the Tower Chief and reported the incident so he could begin an immediate investigation into what caused the problem.
Aircraft Y on ILS approach for Runway 34; 7 MN south at 2;000. Aircraft X 10 MN southwest inbound. I noticed that there would be a possible conflict and Local was somewhat busy with other traffic. I asked if he saw the conflict and he acknowledged that he was going to sidestep Aircraft Y to Runway 35. I heard him give the instruction to continue and sidestep for Aircraft Y and gave traffic to Aircraft Y and Aircraft X. I assumed that the conflict was being handled appropriately and moved on to other tasks. The two aircraft got close; but I was under the impression that they had visual between them and were separating themselves. About ten minutes after Aircraft X landed he called the Tower and I transferred him to the facility manager. This is when I became aware that the pilot saw the situation as a NMAC.The Local Controller simply made a bad plan and did not communicate the plan to the pilots in a way that his plan would have worked. He should have made Aircraft Y break into a right 360 turn to follow the fast Aircraft X.
Approach Controller and turboprop pilot reported a near miss with a helicopter during visual approach.