Helicopter hovering and dropping bag of film over parking lot. Unsafe operation.

Attributes
ACN	298062
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 20 agl bound upper : 150
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	298062
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a normal photo flight, I initiated a low level hover over an open parking lot in order to lower rolls of exposed photo film to a photo lab in a small vinyl bag lowered by a thin nylon cord. Upon starting the operation it became obvious that although I had room to go in the event of power loss, it was not a sensible operation and not to be repeated. I was committed to completing so I did and left the area. Upon initiating the operation I checked available power and areas to put down in event of a power loss, there was no risk of tangling because the bag was light and could easily be dropped into the open lot, but the situation made me uneasy and I did abort and drop the bag 20 ft. Needless to say, I was not lowering the bag myself, my photographer was. The noise of the helicopter attracted the attention of some people on the ground including a cruising police car. I called the lab immediately upon landing and the officer I spoke with was concerned about the safety of the operation as was I. There was no accident and no one was injured, however, the operation will not be repeated by me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI HOVERING AND DROPPING BAG OF FILM OVER PARKING LOT. UNSAFE OP.

Narrative: DURING A NORMAL PHOTO FLT, I INITIATED A LOW LEVEL HOVER OVER AN OPEN PARKING LOT IN ORDER TO LOWER ROLLS OF EXPOSED PHOTO FILM TO A PHOTO LAB IN A SMALL VINYL BAG LOWERED BY A THIN NYLON CORD. UPON STARTING THE OP IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT ALTHOUGH I HAD ROOM TO GO IN THE EVENT OF PWR LOSS, IT WAS NOT A SENSIBLE OP AND NOT TO BE REPEATED. I WAS COMMITTED TO COMPLETING SO I DID AND LEFT THE AREA. UPON INITIATING THE OP I CHKED AVAILABLE PWR AND AREAS TO PUT DOWN IN EVENT OF A PWR LOSS, THERE WAS NO RISK OF TANGLING BECAUSE THE BAG WAS LIGHT AND COULD EASILY BE DROPPED INTO THE OPEN LOT, BUT THE SIT MADE ME UNEASY AND I DID ABORT AND DROP THE BAG 20 FT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS NOT LOWERING THE BAG MYSELF, MY PHOTOGRAPHER WAS. THE NOISE OF THE HELI ATTRACTED THE ATTN OF SOME PEOPLE ON THE GND INCLUDING A CRUISING POLICE CAR. I CALLED THE LAB IMMEDIATELY UPON LNDG AND THE OFFICER I SPOKE WITH WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE OP AS WAS I. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND NO ONE WAS INJURED, HOWEVER, THE OP WILL NOT BE REPEATED BY ME.

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.