Narrative:

On takeoff from a night landing on an EMS scene I swept my nightsun along my flight path during the climb. My light (a night sun, 30 million candlepower) fortunately illuminated a recently erected cellular telephone tower. A nearby water tower which was only slightly taller was well illuminated. I suspect the cell phone towers were intentionally erected to less than 200 ft to avoid the FAA regulation requiring paint and hazard illumination. There are several now in the local area, all near roads on which we land, so they pose a particular hazard to EMS helicopters. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that even since his report there have been many more of these towers springing up, practically overnight. He is quite concerned about his fellow helicopter pilots running into these as they fly at the low altitudes. He used to work for the state and frequently had people call and ask how they could avoid having to place lights on the tower they were constructing. With a 200 ft ht limit, they would build it 195 ft. He is sure that is what is occurring now. But with so many near roads he is concerned that helicopters are going to have problems at night or in poor WX conditions. Helicopter was a bell 412. Reporter gave full permission to use whatever we needed from his report to follow up as we see fit. The hotline was recommended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT ON SCENE DEP OF EMS MISSION HAS NMAC WITH AN UNLIGHTED TWR AT HIS 150 FT ALT. FORTUNATELY HIS NIGHTSUN LIT THE TWR AS HE SCANNED WITH IT SO HE WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE TWR.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM A NIGHT LNDG ON AN EMS SCENE I SWEPT MY NIGHTSUN ALONG MY FLT PATH DURING THE CLB. MY LIGHT (A NIGHT SUN, 30 MILLION CANDLEPOWER) FORTUNATELY ILLUMINATED A RECENTLY ERECTED CELLULAR TELEPHONE TWR. A NEARBY WATER TWR WHICH WAS ONLY SLIGHTLY TALLER WAS WELL ILLUMINATED. I SUSPECT THE CELL PHONE TWRS WERE INTENTIONALLY ERECTED TO LESS THAN 200 FT TO AVOID THE FAA REG REQUIRING PAINT AND HAZARD ILLUMINATION. THERE ARE SEVERAL NOW IN THE LCL AREA, ALL NEAR ROADS ON WHICH WE LAND, SO THEY POSE A PARTICULAR HAZARD TO EMS HELIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT EVEN SINCE HIS RPT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MORE OF THESE TWRS SPRINGING UP, PRACTICALLY OVERNIGHT. HE IS QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS FELLOW HELI PLTS RUNNING INTO THESE AS THEY FLY AT THE LOW ALTS. HE USED TO WORK FOR THE STATE AND FREQUENTLY HAD PEOPLE CALL AND ASK HOW THEY COULD AVOID HAVING TO PLACE LIGHTS ON THE TWR THEY WERE CONSTRUCTING. WITH A 200 FT HT LIMIT, THEY WOULD BUILD IT 195 FT. HE IS SURE THAT IS WHAT IS OCCURRING NOW. BUT WITH SO MANY NEAR ROADS HE IS CONCERNED THAT HELIS ARE GOING TO HAVE PROBS AT NIGHT OR IN POOR WX CONDITIONS. HELI WAS A BELL 412. RPTR GAVE FULL PERMISSION TO USE WHATEVER WE NEEDED FROM HIS RPT TO FOLLOW UP AS WE SEE FIT. THE HOTLINE WAS RECOMMENDED.

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.