Senior Pilot
6th May 2010, 01:38
Initial thoughts are a bit of a breakdown in expectations following tower clearance?
Incident: Southwest Airlines B737 at Houston on Apr 28th 2010, near collision with a news helicopter
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N242WN performing flight WN-1322 from Houston Hobby,TX to Baltimore,MD (USA) with 135 passengers and 5 crew, had been cleared for takeoff from Houston Hobby Airport's runway 12R and had just rotated when the crew spotted a helicopter registration N6YJ ahead and above them and took evasive action, the helicopter crew reacted as well and took a sharp right turn away from the runway. Both aircraft completed their flights safely.
FAA spokeswoman Lynn Lunsford said, that the news helicopter (call sign "Sky 2") had been cleared to takeoff from the south ramp in direction north, but took off to the south before turning north. The Southwest Boeing 737 was cleared to depart runway 12R followed by a left turn to the north. As the helicopter approached the runway, it passed above and ahead of the Southwest 737. The crew of the Southwest 737 saw the helicopter first and slowed their climb allowing the airplane to pass underneath the helicopter, the crew of the helicopter turned hard right away of the runway. Preliminary radar data suggest, that the helicopter was at 200 feet AGL, the 737 at 100 feet AGL with a minimum separation of 100 feet vertically and 125 feet laterally.
The NTSB reported on May 3rd, that the aircraft came within an estimated 125 feet vertically and 100 feet laterally after both aircraft received takeoff clearances at about the same time and the helicopter converged into the flight path of the Boeing. The NTSB have dispatched an air traffic control specialist to investigate the near collision.
On May 4th the NTSB released their first preliminary report correcting the minimum separation was 100 feet vertically and 125 feet laterally. The NTSB released testimony by both Southwest crew:
Captain's testimony: "We were cleared for takeoff on runway 12R. I heard a helicopter also being cleared for takeoff somewhere else on the airport. At about the V1 call I saw the helicopter at my right one-a-clock as he flew southeast down taxiway November at about 50' off the ground. His flight path was in the same direction as ours but offset to the right several hundred feet. It appeared we would fly past him soon after rotation. However, just as I began to rotate, he started a left turn into our flight path. To avoid hitting him, I made a slow rotation and after liftoff kept us airborne just a few feet off the ground so that we would fly under him. This was my only option to avoid hitting him. Just before we flew under him he saw us and made a sharp hard turn back to the right. This turn prevented him from flying directly over us. I estimate we missed him by about 50' vertically and 100-200' horizontally. Listening to the conversation between him and the tower controller after we passed him it sounded like there was confusion between them about what direction he was supposed to head after his takeoff."
First Officer's testimony: "I was the FO and [pilot monitoring]. We were cleared for takeoff on 12R. Approaching V1 we saw a helo taking off south of 12R and flying SE (parallel with the runway). During our rotation, the helo started to turn left and towards our flight path. The PF adjusted pitch to keep vertical spacing. The helo abruptly turned back to the right and passed high and off our right wing. I notified tower that the helo attempted to turn into us. The PF adjusted back to the normal profile after clearing the conflict and the remainder of the flight was normal."
http://avherald.com/img/khou_aerodrome_chart.jpg
The Aviation Herald (http://avherald.com/h?article=42af43cf&opt=0)
Incident: Southwest Airlines B737 at Houston on Apr 28th 2010, near collision with a news helicopter
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N242WN performing flight WN-1322 from Houston Hobby,TX to Baltimore,MD (USA) with 135 passengers and 5 crew, had been cleared for takeoff from Houston Hobby Airport's runway 12R and had just rotated when the crew spotted a helicopter registration N6YJ ahead and above them and took evasive action, the helicopter crew reacted as well and took a sharp right turn away from the runway. Both aircraft completed their flights safely.
FAA spokeswoman Lynn Lunsford said, that the news helicopter (call sign "Sky 2") had been cleared to takeoff from the south ramp in direction north, but took off to the south before turning north. The Southwest Boeing 737 was cleared to depart runway 12R followed by a left turn to the north. As the helicopter approached the runway, it passed above and ahead of the Southwest 737. The crew of the Southwest 737 saw the helicopter first and slowed their climb allowing the airplane to pass underneath the helicopter, the crew of the helicopter turned hard right away of the runway. Preliminary radar data suggest, that the helicopter was at 200 feet AGL, the 737 at 100 feet AGL with a minimum separation of 100 feet vertically and 125 feet laterally.
The NTSB reported on May 3rd, that the aircraft came within an estimated 125 feet vertically and 100 feet laterally after both aircraft received takeoff clearances at about the same time and the helicopter converged into the flight path of the Boeing. The NTSB have dispatched an air traffic control specialist to investigate the near collision.
On May 4th the NTSB released their first preliminary report correcting the minimum separation was 100 feet vertically and 125 feet laterally. The NTSB released testimony by both Southwest crew:
Captain's testimony: "We were cleared for takeoff on runway 12R. I heard a helicopter also being cleared for takeoff somewhere else on the airport. At about the V1 call I saw the helicopter at my right one-a-clock as he flew southeast down taxiway November at about 50' off the ground. His flight path was in the same direction as ours but offset to the right several hundred feet. It appeared we would fly past him soon after rotation. However, just as I began to rotate, he started a left turn into our flight path. To avoid hitting him, I made a slow rotation and after liftoff kept us airborne just a few feet off the ground so that we would fly under him. This was my only option to avoid hitting him. Just before we flew under him he saw us and made a sharp hard turn back to the right. This turn prevented him from flying directly over us. I estimate we missed him by about 50' vertically and 100-200' horizontally. Listening to the conversation between him and the tower controller after we passed him it sounded like there was confusion between them about what direction he was supposed to head after his takeoff."
First Officer's testimony: "I was the FO and [pilot monitoring]. We were cleared for takeoff on 12R. Approaching V1 we saw a helo taking off south of 12R and flying SE (parallel with the runway). During our rotation, the helo started to turn left and towards our flight path. The PF adjusted pitch to keep vertical spacing. The helo abruptly turned back to the right and passed high and off our right wing. I notified tower that the helo attempted to turn into us. The PF adjusted back to the normal profile after clearing the conflict and the remainder of the flight was normal."
http://avherald.com/img/khou_aerodrome_chart.jpg
The Aviation Herald (http://avherald.com/h?article=42af43cf&opt=0)