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Pilot reporter questions if 500' vertical clearance of towers is legal. Had mild traffic conflict.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 164839 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199012 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : evv |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1950 msl bound upper : 2500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : evv tracon : sea |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 290 flight time type : 280 |
| ASRS Report | 164839 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Altitude towers cleared VFR at or below 2000' headed south from evv. Highest tower 1445, passed 1000-2000' to side at 1950. Potential error is henderson's tower area 'congested' or not. Belief I had at the time was that it was not. Thus I had more than 500' required by part 91 and could easily have landed in an unpopulated area had trouble arisen. Possible violation/safety issue occurs if you interpret area to be 'congested', then 1000' required from obstacles and greater side distance. I believe I was safe. Traffic conflict. In contact with evv departure approximately 30 mi south of airport. ATC warning of possible traffic at my altitude 2500' MSL approaching me from 5 O'clock position. Watched traffic, constant bearing, decreasing range. Turned 180 degree so traffic would pass to my left. Only after turning and leveling off did traffic acknowledge my presence and divert to his right. 500-1000' sep between aircraft. While no problem occurred, it could have. Departure control a definite plus in this case.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT REPORTER QUESTIONS IF 500' VERTICAL CLRNC OF TWRS IS LEGAL. HAD MILD TRAFFIC CONFLICT.
Narrative: ALT TWRS CLRED VFR AT OR BELOW 2000' HEADED S FROM EVV. HIGHEST TWR 1445, PASSED 1000-2000' TO SIDE AT 1950. POTENTIAL ERROR IS HENDERSON'S TWR AREA 'CONGESTED' OR NOT. BELIEF I HAD AT THE TIME WAS THAT IT WAS NOT. THUS I HAD MORE THAN 500' REQUIRED BY PART 91 AND COULD EASILY HAVE LANDED IN AN UNPOPULATED AREA HAD TROUBLE ARISEN. POSSIBLE VIOLATION/SAFETY ISSUE OCCURS IF YOU INTERPRET AREA TO BE 'CONGESTED', THEN 1000' REQUIRED FROM OBSTACLES AND GREATER SIDE DISTANCE. I BELIEVE I WAS SAFE. TFC CONFLICT. IN CONTACT WITH EVV DEP APPROX 30 MI S OF ARPT. ATC WARNING OF POSSIBLE TFC AT MY ALT 2500' MSL APCHING ME FROM 5 O'CLOCK POS. WATCHED TFC, CONSTANT BEARING, DECREASING RANGE. TURNED 180 DEG SO TFC WOULD PASS TO MY L. ONLY AFTER TURNING AND LEVELING OFF DID TFC ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRESENCE AND DIVERT TO HIS R. 500-1000' SEP BTWN ACFT. WHILE NO PROB OCCURRED, IT COULD HAVE. DEP CTL A DEFINITE PLUS IN THIS CASE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.