ATC had contact with the helicopter. They advised it of the regional jet and asked them to confirm they could see it. The helicopter replied that they had it in sight and asked for permission to maintain visual separation, which was granted, and they were advised to fly behind it. Essentially that means the helicopter advised they could see it, and would ensure they avoided it. About 5 seconds later they flew into it.
Before anyone says that it was crazy for the aircraft to just be told to avoid the other one, that is absolutely normal ATC operation, for aircraft in relatively close proximity to be told to be aware of each other and to maintain visual separation. If there was a failing, or room for improvement here, it was that ATC didn’t tell the regional jet about the helicopter (they were on two different frequencies - quite normal for helicopters to be on a different one)
In my keyboard-expert opinion, the pilot of the helicopter identified something he thought was the regional jet and moved to avoid it, and the angles that the two aircraft were approaching each other from would have made it very difficult for either of them to see each other, especially at night.
ATC had contact with the helicopter. They advised it of the regional jet and asked them to confirm they could see it. The helicopter replied that they had it in sight and asked for permission to maintain visual separation, which was granted, and they were advised to fly behind it. Essentially that means the helicopter advised they could see it, and would ensure they avoided it. About 5 seconds later they flew into it.
Before anyone says that it was crazy for the aircraft to just be told to avoid the other one, that is absolutely normal ATC operation, for aircraft in relatively close proximity to be told to be aware of each other and to maintain visual separation. If there was a failing, or room for improvement here, it was that ATC didn’t tell the regional jet about the helicopter (they were on two different frequencies - quite normal for helicopters to be on a different one)
In my keyboard-expert opinion, the pilot of the helicopter identified something he thought was the regional jet and moved to avoid it, and the angles that the two aircraft were approaching each other from would have made it very difficult for either of them to see each other, especially at night.