Pilot of an enstrom helicopter, EH28, descended below the MSA during a photo flight of a building fi...

Attributes
ACN	377474
Time
Date	199708
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	F-28 Enstrom Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	377474
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had a video camera man with me to go shoot a building fire. I found the fire and needed to get the footage fast, and get back to home base to pick up another photographer that was waiting to shoot the same fire (time pressure). So approaching from the south I wanted to circle the building, 360 degrees, winds were from east 90 degrees, big fire lots of smoke. I continued toward building, and got too close to the smoke so had to lose lots of altitude fast or go into the smoke and instant 'IFR' blackout, not to mention the bad toxic gases, so I dropped from about 500 ft AGL to below the smoke and (possible 100 ft AGL). Circled from the southwest of building, under smoke on west side, to the north and northeast gaining speed and altitude. I should have stayed on the upwind side and circled to the east and southeast of the fire. Not placing myself in the smoke trail, fortunately there was enough fresh airspace below the smoke cloud that we did not fly into the smoke but had clear air. End of the day fatigue, long day, inexperience flying around fires and smoke all contributing factors. Also once I started to go down to get under smoke, I didn't want to turn out of my intended path because I saw that I could make it under. I was not sure of power lines or towers to my left, but I knew I couldn't go up or right (east).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN ENSTROM HELI, EH28, DSNDED BELOW THE MSA DURING A PHOTO FLT OF A BUILDING FIRE TO AVOID FLYING INTO HVY SMOKE CAUSED BY THE FIRE.

Narrative: I HAD A VIDEO CAMERA MAN WITH ME TO GO SHOOT A BUILDING FIRE. I FOUND THE FIRE AND NEEDED TO GET THE FOOTAGE FAST, AND GET BACK TO HOME BASE TO PICK UP ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER THAT WAS WAITING TO SHOOT THE SAME FIRE (TIME PRESSURE). SO APCHING FROM THE S I WANTED TO CIRCLE THE BUILDING, 360 DEGS, WINDS WERE FROM E 90 DEGS, BIG FIRE LOTS OF SMOKE. I CONTINUED TOWARD BUILDING, AND GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE SMOKE SO HAD TO LOSE LOTS OF ALT FAST OR GO INTO THE SMOKE AND INSTANT 'IFR' BLACKOUT, NOT TO MENTION THE BAD TOXIC GASES, SO I DROPPED FROM ABOUT 500 FT AGL TO BELOW THE SMOKE AND (POSSIBLE 100 FT AGL). CIRCLED FROM THE SW OF BUILDING, UNDER SMOKE ON W SIDE, TO THE N AND NE GAINING SPD AND ALT. I SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON THE UPWIND SIDE AND CIRCLED TO THE E AND SE OF THE FIRE. NOT PLACING MYSELF IN THE SMOKE TRAIL, FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ENOUGH FRESH AIRSPACE BELOW THE SMOKE CLOUD THAT WE DID NOT FLY INTO THE SMOKE BUT HAD CLR AIR. END OF THE DAY FATIGUE, LONG DAY, INEXPERIENCE FLYING AROUND FIRES AND SMOKE ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. ALSO ONCE I STARTED TO GO DOWN TO GET UNDER SMOKE, I DIDN'T WANT TO TURN OUT OF MY INTENDED PATH BECAUSE I SAW THAT I COULD MAKE IT UNDER. I WAS NOT SURE OF PWR LINES OR TWRS TO MY L, BUT I KNEW I COULDN'T GO UP OR R (E).

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.

Pilot of an enstrom helicopter, EH28, descended below the MSA during a photo flight of a building fire to avoid flying into heavy smoke caused by the fire.