Narrative:

While on the base leg for landing on runway 16 at swi, I observed a smoke trail rising from the ground near the airport's perimeter fence off the runway extended centerline. The smoke ended at approximately 250 ft AGL and I continued the approach. Nearing the perimeter fence, I sighted a model rocket with its recovery parachute deployed. I flew under the rocket and landed without incidence. Model rocket manufacturers might do more to promote safe usage of their products. Large labels or inserts for their packaging might have alerted the adults and children observed at the launch site to the dangers of mixing rockets and airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ON APCH TO NON TWR ARPT HAS ENCOUNTER WITH A MODEL ROCKET AFTER SIGHTING SMOKE AND THEN DISCOVERING THE PARACHUTE DEPLOYED.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE BASE LEG FOR LNDG ON RWY 16 AT SWI, I OBSERVED A SMOKE TRAIL RISING FROM THE GND NEAR THE ARPT'S PERIMETER FENCE OFF THE RWY EXTENDED CTRLINE. THE SMOKE ENDED AT APPROX 250 FT AGL AND I CONTINUED THE APCH. NEARING THE PERIMETER FENCE, I SIGHTED A MODEL ROCKET WITH ITS RECOVERY PARACHUTE DEPLOYED. I FLEW UNDER THE ROCKET AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENCE. MODEL ROCKET MANUFACTURERS MIGHT DO MORE TO PROMOTE SAFE USAGE OF THEIR PRODUCTS. LARGE LABELS OR INSERTS FOR THEIR PACKAGING MIGHT HAVE ALERTED THE ADULTS AND CHILDREN OBSERVED AT THE LAUNCH SITE TO THE DANGERS OF MIXING ROCKETS AND ARPTS.

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.