VFR PA28; ON ATC VECTORS PER TWR INSTRUCTIONS FOR A SHORT APCH TO DAB; EXPERIENCED NMAC WITH STRAIGHT-IN HELI TFC.

Narrative

I WAS WITH MY INSTRUCTOR ON A LCL TRAINING FLT IN A PIPER ARROW. I WAS FLYING AND MY INSTRUCTOR WAS TALKING ON THE RADIO. WE HAD JUST DEPARTED BUNNELL-FLAGLER (X47) AND CALLED DAYTON APCH FOR A FULL STOP LNDG AT DAB. WE WERE AT 1500 FT; APCHING FROM THE N AND THE CTLR GAVE ME VECTORS OF 180 DEGS AND THEN 160 DEGS; WHICH POINTED US RIGHT AT THE APCH END OF RWY 7L AT DAB. HE INSTRUCTED US TO KEEP OUR SPD UP AND PLAN FOR A SHORT APCH TO RWY 7L TO GET IN BEFORE A HELI ON A 6 MI FINAL. AT THAT TIME; I ESTIMATE WE WERE ALSO ABOUT 6 MI OUT BECAUSE HE THEN HANDED US OFF TO THE TWR. AFTER ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH THE TWR; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE ON THE BASE FOR THE RWY. AT ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE RWY AND AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 300 FT; I TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 7L. THE TWR NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE HELI UNTIL I TURNED FOR A VERY SHORT FINAL. AT ABOUT THAT TIME THE TWR INQUIRED IF WE HAD THE HELI TFC IN SIGHT. I NEVER SAW THE HELI. MY INSTRUCTOR LOOKED OUT AND SAW IT IN EXTREMELY CLOSE PROX TO US OFF OUR R SIDE AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE US. HE ESTIMATED THE HELI WAS 25 FT HORIZLY AND 50 FT VERTLY AWAY FROM US. WHEN THE TWR REALIZED THERE WAS A PROB; HE INSTRUCTED THE HELI TO GO AROUND AND WE CONTINUED THE LNDG. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROB FIRST AROSE WHEN SOMEONE PUT A HUMAN IN FRONT OF A RADAR SCREEN AND PUT A HUMAN AT THE CTLS OF AN ACFT AND THEN GAVE THEM A MEANS TO COMMUNICATE. I BELIEVE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) WE WERE SEQUENCED FOR A HURRIED APCH; 2) THE INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PLTS OF BOTH ACFT (MYSELF INCLUDED); AND 3) INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE BY THE TWR. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED WHEN THE TWR QUERIED IF WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AND THE HELI WAS SPOTTED JUST OFF OUR R WING. AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION; THE HELI WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND AND HE CARRIED OUT THAT INSTRUCTION. FOR HUMAN PERFORMANCE; I DID NOT PERCEIVE ANY PROB UNTIL MY INSTRUCTOR SPOTTED THE HELI IN AN EXTREMELY CLOSE PROX TO US. I HAD NO PROB CONDUCTING A HURRIED AND SHORT APCH. AT THE TIME; I WAS LOOKING AT THE RWY AND DID NOT DEVOTE ANY TIME TO SCANNING FOR THE HELI TFC. FOR MYSELF; I MADE A LOGICAL ASSUMPTION THAT BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING TO A CTLR; EVERYTHING WILL BE OK AND; THEREFORE; I WAS NOT MORE PROACTIVE IN SCANNING FOR TFC. I BELIEVE THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS SIT OR PREVENT IT FROM RECURRING. WE; AS HUMANS; ARE NOT PERFECT AND THIS TYPE OF PROB CAN NEVER BE ELIMINATED AS LONG AS HUMANS ARE IN CTL.