A helicopter may have flown close to some swimmers during practice automatic rotations.

Attributes
ACN	242518
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : apf
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	242518
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Did practice automatic rotation offshore from beach near hotol in naples, fl. Received complaint saying it was done too close to swimmers. Complainer could not identify (properly) aircraft color or number, but was certain from his vantage point it was a dangerous thing to do. If we were the helicopter in question, we in no way endangered anyone, nor was the maneuver carried out in a reckless or careless manner. It is this pilot's opinion, having been on board, that the complaint came from a possible competitor in the helicopter industry.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI MAY HAVE FLOWN CLOSE TO SOME SWIMMERS DURING PRACTICE AUTO ROTATIONS.

Narrative: DID PRACTICE AUTO ROTATION OFFSHORE FROM BEACH NEAR HOTOL IN NAPLES, FL. RECEIVED COMPLAINT SAYING IT WAS DONE TOO CLOSE TO SWIMMERS. COMPLAINER COULD NOT IDENT (PROPERLY) ACFT COLOR OR NUMBER, BUT WAS CERTAIN FROM HIS VANTAGE POINT IT WAS A DANGEROUS THING TO DO. IF WE WERE THE HELI IN QUESTION, WE IN NO WAY ENDANGERED ANYONE, NOR WAS THE MANEUVER CARRIED OUT IN A RECKLESS OR CARELESS MANNER. IT IS THIS PLT'S OPINION, HAVING BEEN ON BOARD, THAT THE COMPLAINT CAME FROM A POSSIBLE COMPETITOR IN THE HELI INDUSTRY.

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.