Pilot of an enstrom 280F helicopter received a public complaint regarding a photo flight over the clean up of a train wreck due to dust blowing into the faces of the workers. Pilot claims that it was gusty surface winds causing the dust and not the propeller wash from his helicopter.

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Attributes
ACN	401120
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : chu airport : pnm
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zmp
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Enstrom Helicopter 280 Shark
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	401120
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying a news helicopter over a train wreck. Emergency workers became furious that I was there and called the tv station to complain. They claim my downwash blew chemicals into the faces of workers. A storm was coming and winds were gusting over 25 KTS out of the east. Many times I have filled out these reports when emergency workers blame me for surface winds. If winds are calm, I never get this complaint. They associate the noise of the helicopter with the gusty wind. Of course, emergency workers and public officials do not like to share their domain and jurisdiction because I do not ask permission to fly over and don't have to. It is an affront to their egos. I hope you guys are aware of the natural animosity of authority/authorized to news helicopters. For my part, I am trying to get a better camera that allows me to stay higher.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN ENSTROM 280F HELI RECEIVED A PUBLIC COMPLAINT REGARDING A PHOTO FLT OVER THE CLEAN UP OF A TRAIN WRECK DUE TO DUST BLOWING INTO THE FACES OF THE WORKERS. PLT CLAIMS THAT IT WAS GUSTY SURFACE WINDS CAUSING THE DUST AND NOT THE PROP WASH FROM HIS HELI.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A NEWS HELI OVER A TRAIN WRECK. EMER WORKERS BECAME FURIOUS THAT I WAS THERE AND CALLED THE TV STATION TO COMPLAIN. THEY CLAIM MY DOWNWASH BLEW CHEMICALS INTO THE FACES OF WORKERS. A STORM WAS COMING AND WINDS WERE GUSTING OVER 25 KTS OUT OF THE E. MANY TIMES I HAVE FILLED OUT THESE RPTS WHEN EMER WORKERS BLAME ME FOR SURFACE WINDS. IF WINDS ARE CALM, I NEVER GET THIS COMPLAINT. THEY ASSOCIATE THE NOISE OF THE HELI WITH THE GUSTY WIND. OF COURSE, EMER WORKERS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS DO NOT LIKE TO SHARE THEIR DOMAIN AND JURISDICTION BECAUSE I DO NOT ASK PERMISSION TO FLY OVER AND DON'T HAVE TO. IT IS AN AFFRONT TO THEIR EGOS. I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF THE NATURAL ANIMOSITY OF AUTH TO NEWS HELIS. FOR MY PART, I AM TRYING TO GET A BETTER CAMERA THAT ALLOWS ME TO STAY HIGHER.

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.