Near collision of airliner and helicopter probed (AP)

[NewsBot]

AP - A federal safety investigation has been opened into the near collision of a Southwest Airlines jet with a news helicopter over a Houston airport runway.

Full Article...

 

[SteveC]

Re: Near collision of airliner and helicopter probed (AP

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NTSB ADVISORY
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

May 3, 2010

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NTSB INVESTIGATING NEAR COLLISION OF SOUTHWEST 737 AND NEWS HELICOPTER OVER HOUSTON HOBBY AIRPORT

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The NTSB has launched an investigation into the near collision of a Southwest Airlines jetliner and a news helicopter over a runway at Houston's Hobby Airport last week.

At about 12:25 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, April 28, a Southwest Airlines 737, flight 1322 (N242WN) and a Bell 207 news gathering helicopter (N6YJ), came within an estimated 125 feet vertically and 100 feet laterally from each other as both were departing the airport.

The Baltimore-bound 737 with 135 passengers and a crew of five had been cleared to depart from runway 12R. At about the same time the helicopter was cleared to depart from another part of the airport. The near-collision occurred as the helicopter converged into the flight path of the 737 shortly after the jetliner lifted off from the runway. Both crews took evasive maneuvers to avoid colliding.

NTSB investigator Betty Koschig, an air traffic control specialist based in Washington, is traveling to Houston tomorrow to begin the investigation.

This is the second runway safety incident that the NTSB has investigated in the last two weeks. On April 19, a 737 and a small private plane came within about 200 feet of colliding over the airport in Burbank, Calif.

 

[MikeD]

Re: Near collision of airliner and helicopter probed (AP


Kind of sucks. One of the challenges of helo ops around fixed wing airports, is the fact that helos aren't tied-into the predictable traffic patterns of FW aircraft. That said, that's why helos are specifically directed to avoid the flow of FW. And especially when given a takeoff or landing clearance that has us crossing active runways, we have to be mindful of an "airborne runway incursion", for lack of a better term. Departure instructions from, say, a helipad at an airport are usually pretty specific from the tower of where they want us to go if crossing a runway. IE- "cleared for takeoff, cross 12R at the numbers on departure", or something similar. Oftentimes too, there are specific VFR departure routes for helos. In any event, whether ATC or pilot error, we have to be mindful anytime we're crossing any runway for FW traffic, as they have far less ability to avoid a midair than we do.