Near midair collision by a small aircraft helicopter and the tethered line of a kite.

Attributes
ACN	272650
Time
Date	199405
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cgx
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ftw
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Other
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 2430 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	272650
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 20

Narrative:

Fly news helicopter. Was returning from story flying south along lakeshore at 10000 ft MSL, 400 ft AGL about 200 meters off the shoreline. I was aware that kites may be up over the wkend. Was in cross flight at 85 KTS. Was looking down for possible kites. While scanning I noticed a kite wire off my right slightly and climbing above. I swerved to avoid it and missed it by 10-15 ft. One does not necessarily expect a kite to be flying above 400 ft AGL. No streamers were seen, nor was the kite ever seen. No abnormal vibrations or control malfunctions were noticed. None found on postflt. Was legal as far as far's concerning minimum altitude and horizontal distance. Had just listened to cgx ATIS. No mention made of high flying kite operations north of the class D airspace along the lakeshore.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BY A SMA HELI AND THE TETHERED LINE OF A KITE.

Narrative: FLY NEWS HELI. WAS RETURNING FROM STORY FLYING S ALONG LAKESHORE AT 10000 FT MSL, 400 FT AGL ABOUT 200 METERS OFF THE SHORELINE. I WAS AWARE THAT KITES MAY BE UP OVER THE WKEND. WAS IN CROSS FLT AT 85 KTS. WAS LOOKING DOWN FOR POSSIBLE KITES. WHILE SCANNING I NOTICED A KITE WIRE OFF MY R SLIGHTLY AND CLBING ABOVE. I SWERVED TO AVOID IT AND MISSED IT BY 10-15 FT. ONE DOES NOT NECESSARILY EXPECT A KITE TO BE FLYING ABOVE 400 FT AGL. NO STREAMERS WERE SEEN, NOR WAS THE KITE EVER SEEN. NO ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS OR CTL MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTICED. NONE FOUND ON POSTFLT. WAS LEGAL AS FAR AS FAR'S CONCERNING MINIMUM ALT AND HORIZ DISTANCE. HAD JUST LISTENED TO CGX ATIS. NO MENTION MADE OF HIGH FLYING KITE OPS N OF THE CLASS D AIRSPACE ALONG THE LAKESHORE.

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.