Near midair collision between a banner towing operation J-3 cub and a parasail that was launched in ...

Attributes
ACN	316191
Time
Date	199505
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spg
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 550 agl bound upper : 550
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Other
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	316191
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

While towing an airborne advertising banner behind my modified piper cub at st petersburg, fl, a close proximity was experienced with a parasail. The parasail was launched, intentionally, in a blind spot in front of my aircraft. I was prevented from seeing the sail until it was within a couple of hundred feet of my location. I immediately took evasive action but was countered by the tow boat. I applied full power, initiated a climb from 500 ft, and banked toward the shore. As I looked at the tow vessel, a crew member had a camera focused on me and was taking pictures of the situation. Earlier that week, the operator had contacted our main office and threatened to cause legal action over the flight rtes which we have conducted daily for 17 yrs. It is my belief that these actions are intentional and the vessel operator has repeated his actions on may/a,B,C,D/95.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A BANNER TOWING OP J-3 CUB AND A PARASAIL THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN FRONT OF ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE TOWING AN AIRBORNE ADVERTISING BANNER BEHIND MY MODIFIED PIPER CUB AT ST PETERSBURG, FL, A CLOSE PROX WAS EXPERIENCED WITH A PARASAIL. THE PARASAIL WAS LAUNCHED, INTENTIONALLY, IN A BLIND SPOT IN FRONT OF MY ACFT. I WAS PREVENTED FROM SEEING THE SAIL UNTIL IT WAS WITHIN A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET OF MY LOCATION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BUT WAS COUNTERED BY THE TOW BOAT. I APPLIED FULL PWR, INITIATED A CLB FROM 500 FT, AND BANKED TOWARD THE SHORE. AS I LOOKED AT THE TOW VESSEL, A CREW MEMBER HAD A CAMERA FOCUSED ON ME AND WAS TAKING PICTURES OF THE SIT. EARLIER THAT WK, THE OPERATOR HAD CONTACTED OUR MAIN OFFICE AND THREATENED TO CAUSE LEGAL ACTION OVER THE FLT RTES WHICH WE HAVE CONDUCTED DAILY FOR 17 YRS. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THESE ACTIONS ARE INTENTIONAL AND THE VESSEL OPERATOR HAS REPEATED HIS ACTIONS ON MAY/A,B,C,D/95.

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.

Near midair collision between a banner towing operation J-3 cub and a parasail that was launched in front of aircraft.