Police helicopter takes evasive action to miss moored kite when buzzing fire house.

Attributes
ACN	509011
Time
Date	200104
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 101
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	SA 360 Dauphin
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 15 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	509011
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter other non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We held a kite flying party at our farm. At one point, we had probably a dozen kites flying -- some at altitudes of 500 ft, perhaps even more. One kite in particular was notable because it is 4 ft by 5 ft and is normally flown on 250 pound dacron line. Although this kite is legal under part 101, I'd hate to be the one to run into it in any aircraft. At the time of the incident, this kite was flying at perhaps 350 ft AGL. With very little warning, a government official helicopter made a very low high speed pass over the field. As an instrument rated pilot myself, I'd say his altitude was less than 200 ft AGL. He must have seen it because after flying right past the kite, he suddenly reversed course and carefully circled the field. The pilot of this helicopter is fortunate I was unable to read his tail number due to his high speed. Later that afternoon, someone claiming to be the pilot came over to apologize. He claimed he was buzzing his friends at the fire house on the other side of the road. He said he looked up and saw this large kite. My friends consoled him, thanking our luck that he hadn't been there 5 mins earlier, for he surely would have hit something then. While it's true, the helicopter pilots bears the brunt of responsibility for this incident, I am not blameless either. I know that government official helicopters often land behind a fire station and also behind an elementary school to the east of my farm. I also am aware of extensive training activity from 500 ft AGL and up. As if that wasn't enough, there is extensive ultralight activity in my area too. Part 101 does say we, as kite fliers, should not present a hazard to other aviation activities. In that light, I intend to discuss this issue with my local FSS to see if they can put out a NOTAM concerning our activity. The kite party was a wonderful success and I really look forward to doing this again next yr. But I really don't want another near miss like that.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POLICE HELI TAKES EVASIVE ACTION TO MISS MOORED KITE WHEN BUZZING FIRE HOUSE.

Narrative: WE HELD A KITE FLYING PARTY AT OUR FARM. AT ONE POINT, WE HAD PROBABLY A DOZEN KITES FLYING -- SOME AT ALTS OF 500 FT, PERHAPS EVEN MORE. ONE KITE IN PARTICULAR WAS NOTABLE BECAUSE IT IS 4 FT BY 5 FT AND IS NORMALLY FLOWN ON 250 LB DACRON LINE. ALTHOUGH THIS KITE IS LEGAL UNDER PART 101, I'D HATE TO BE THE ONE TO RUN INTO IT IN ANY ACFT. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THIS KITE WAS FLYING AT PERHAPS 350 FT AGL. WITH VERY LITTLE WARNING, A GOV OFFICIAL HELI MADE A VERY LOW HIGH SPD PASS OVER THE FIELD. AS AN INST RATED PLT MYSELF, I'D SAY HIS ALT WAS LESS THAN 200 FT AGL. HE MUST HAVE SEEN IT BECAUSE AFTER FLYING RIGHT PAST THE KITE, HE SUDDENLY REVERSED COURSE AND CAREFULLY CIRCLED THE FIELD. THE PLT OF THIS HELI IS FORTUNATE I WAS UNABLE TO READ HIS TAIL NUMBER DUE TO HIS HIGH SPD. LATER THAT AFTERNOON, SOMEONE CLAIMING TO BE THE PLT CAME OVER TO APOLOGIZE. HE CLAIMED HE WAS BUZZING HIS FRIENDS AT THE FIRE HOUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE SAID HE LOOKED UP AND SAW THIS LARGE KITE. MY FRIENDS CONSOLED HIM, THANKING OUR LUCK THAT HE HADN'T BEEN THERE 5 MINS EARLIER, FOR HE SURELY WOULD HAVE HIT SOMETHING THEN. WHILE IT'S TRUE, THE HELI PLTS BEARS THE BRUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS INCIDENT, I AM NOT BLAMELESS EITHER. I KNOW THAT GOV OFFICIAL HELIS OFTEN LAND BEHIND A FIRE STATION AND ALSO BEHIND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO THE E OF MY FARM. I ALSO AM AWARE OF EXTENSIVE TRAINING ACTIVITY FROM 500 FT AGL AND UP. AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THERE IS EXTENSIVE ULTRALIGHT ACTIVITY IN MY AREA TOO. PART 101 DOES SAY WE, AS KITE FLIERS, SHOULD NOT PRESENT A HAZARD TO OTHER AVIATION ACTIVITIES. IN THAT LIGHT, I INTEND TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH MY LCL FSS TO SEE IF THEY CAN PUT OUT A NOTAM CONCERNING OUR ACTIVITY. THE KITE PARTY WAS A WONDERFUL SUCCESS AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS AGAIN NEXT YR. BUT I REALLY DON'T WANT ANOTHER NEAR MISS LIKE THAT.

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.