Coast guard auxiliary member reports existence of tower not shown on chart and not lighted.

Attributes
ACN	185907
Time
Date	199108
Day	Thu
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgc
State Reference	IN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 190 agl bound upper : 190
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	185907
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

190 ft tower located at department of natural resources office building, not on marine charts or sectionals. Chart #14905 marine. 41 degree 43 18 north. 86 degree 54 18 west. Department of natural resources, 100 water fir 1, michigan city, in, 46360. The old charts show a grain elevator which has been torn down replaced by radio tower. Not shown on any charts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the tower not shown is 1000 ft east of those that are shown and has no light. This is legal since tower not over 200 ft. However, coast guard auxiliary has many training and demonstration chopper flts in this dock and harbor area and pilots are totally unaware of this tower. 9 choppers at a time have been in the area and it is extremely dangerous. Reporter contacted the department of national resources and coast guard auxiliary at higher levels for at least 3 yrs and has seen no change. Airport manager suggested ASRS report. Reporter especially concerned as he had family members killed in a very similar situation some yrs ago.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COAST GUARD AUX MEMBER RPTS EXISTENCE OF TWR NOT SHOWN ON CHART AND NOT LIGHTED.

Narrative: 190 FT TWR LOCATED AT DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICE BUILDING, NOT ON MARINE CHARTS OR SECTIONALS. CHART #14905 MARINE. 41 DEG 43 18 N. 86 DEG 54 18 W. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, 100 WATER FIR 1, MICHIGAN CITY, IN, 46360. THE OLD CHARTS SHOW A GRAIN ELEVATOR WHICH HAS BEEN TORN DOWN REPLACED BY RADIO TWR. NOT SHOWN ON ANY CHARTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE TWR NOT SHOWN IS 1000 FT E OF THOSE THAT ARE SHOWN AND HAS NO LIGHT. THIS IS LEGAL SINCE TWR NOT OVER 200 FT. HOWEVER, COAST GUARD AUX HAS MANY TRAINING AND DEMONSTRATION CHOPPER FLTS IN THIS DOCK AND HARBOR AREA AND PLTS ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THIS TWR. 9 CHOPPERS AT A TIME HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA AND IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. RPTR CONTACTED THE DEPT OF NATIONAL RESOURCES AND COAST GUARD AUX AT HIGHER LEVELS FOR AT LEAST 3 YRS AND HAS SEEN NO CHANGE. ARPT MGR SUGGESTED ASRS RPT. RPTR ESPECIALLY CONCERNED AS HE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS KILLED IN A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION SOME YRS AGO.

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.