Narrative:

The helicopter pad in question is located at the holmstead florida race track. The mission was to transport passenger to and from a special event. On the flight in question there was a crew of 2 and 6 passenger. The aircraft was near maximum gross weight. There was a wind of close to 20 KTS with gusts from the southeast. The pad sets behind the grandstands to the northwest. This caused a turbulence from the wind going around, over, and through the stands. The only departure path was to the nne to avoid people and concessions. On this particular flight, I chose to use the wind for lift so I departed more easterly, bringing the gear up early to get through etl quicker. By doing this, I flew over the edge of the food tent areas and my rotor downwash blew over 1 tent, I think. Having been involved in heliport safety inspections for a medical foundation for many yrs, I am concerned about the placement of this pad. There are tall light posts in close proximity, it is too close to the populated area (food stands), and any wind at all leaves you with no option but a tailwind departure to avoid the people. My situation was unique. We were in a large, heavy helicopter trying to operate as safely as possible. Most of the other aircraft were small, 1 pilot and 1 passenger. If nothing else were done, maybe large aircraft should be landed off-site in the future, an engine failure of any aircraft would have deadly results on the people walking around close to the pad.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PIC TAKES OFF IN DIRECTION OF POPULATED AREA AND BLOWS OVER A CONCESSION STAND TENT IN THE PROCESS. TKOF DIRECTION WAS PREDICATED ON OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS RATHER THAN GND SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE WITH FARS.

Narrative: THE HELI PAD IN QUESTION IS LOCATED AT THE HOLMSTEAD FLORIDA RACE TRACK. THE MISSION WAS TO TRANSPORT PAX TO AND FROM A SPECIAL EVENT. ON THE FLT IN QUESTION THERE WAS A CREW OF 2 AND 6 PAX. THE ACFT WAS NEAR MAX GROSS WT. THERE WAS A WIND OF CLOSE TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS FROM THE SE. THE PAD SETS BEHIND THE GRANDSTANDS TO THE NW. THIS CAUSED A TURB FROM THE WIND GOING AROUND, OVER, AND THROUGH THE STANDS. THE ONLY DEP PATH WAS TO THE NNE TO AVOID PEOPLE AND CONCESSIONS. ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT, I CHOSE TO USE THE WIND FOR LIFT SO I DEPARTED MORE EASTERLY, BRINGING THE GEAR UP EARLY TO GET THROUGH ETL QUICKER. BY DOING THIS, I FLEW OVER THE EDGE OF THE FOOD TENT AREAS AND MY ROTOR DOWNWASH BLEW OVER 1 TENT, I THINK. HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN HELIPORT SAFETY INSPECTIONS FOR A MEDICAL FOUNDATION FOR MANY YRS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLACEMENT OF THIS PAD. THERE ARE TALL LIGHT POSTS IN CLOSE PROX, IT IS TOO CLOSE TO THE POPULATED AREA (FOOD STANDS), AND ANY WIND AT ALL LEAVES YOU WITH NO OPTION BUT A TAILWIND DEP TO AVOID THE PEOPLE. MY SIT WAS UNIQUE. WE WERE IN A LARGE, HVY HELI TRYING TO OPERATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. MOST OF THE OTHER ACFT WERE SMALL, 1 PLT AND 1 PAX. IF NOTHING ELSE WERE DONE, MAYBE LARGE ACFT SHOULD BE LANDED OFF-SITE IN THE FUTURE, AN ENG FAILURE OF ANY ACFT WOULD HAVE DEADLY RESULTS ON THE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND CLOSE TO THE PAD.

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.