Helicopter pilot has concern regarding an unlit smoke stack near the heliport. During reduced visibi...

Attributes
ACN	386333
Time
Date	199711
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 8500
ASRS Report	386333
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Just east of the heliport is a smoke stack. It is located on a river and is part of the university. It has been brought up on numerous occasions that at night during reduced visibility it is almost invisible. The pilots based here are aware of its location. This is a high traffic area for this heliport. A transient aircraft may pay the ultimate price for it not being lighted. On the night mentioned, I could not see the stack, even though I knew it was there. I have been told that the stack is not lighted because that would be admitting it is a hazard. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he had complained to the medical facility several times as had his company to get the smoke stack lighted. The facility statement was that if they lighted the stack it could be interpreted as a hazard and they could be sued. If it is not required, it will not happen. Strangely enough, there was an accident involving a fixed wing aircraft nearby, and within 2 days the stack had a light on it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT HAS CONCERN REGARDING AN UNLIT SMOKE STACK NEAR THE HELIPORT. DURING REDUCED VISIBILITY AND AT NIGHT IT BLENDS WITH TERRAIN AND IS DIFFICULT TO SEE.

Narrative: JUST E OF THE HELIPORT IS A SMOKE STACK. IT IS LOCATED ON A RIVER AND IS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT AT NIGHT DURING REDUCED VISIBILITY IT IS ALMOST INVISIBLE. THE PLTS BASED HERE ARE AWARE OF ITS LOCATION. THIS IS A HIGH TFC AREA FOR THIS HELIPORT. A TRANSIENT ACFT MAY PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR IT NOT BEING LIGHTED. ON THE NIGHT MENTIONED, I COULD NOT SEE THE STACK, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW IT WAS THERE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE STACK IS NOT LIGHTED BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE ADMITTING IT IS A HAZARD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE HAD COMPLAINED TO THE MEDICAL FACILITY SEVERAL TIMES AS HAD HIS COMPANY TO GET THE SMOKE STACK LIGHTED. THE FACILITY STATEMENT WAS THAT IF THEY LIGHTED THE STACK IT COULD BE INTERPED AS A HAZARD AND THEY COULD BE SUED. IF IT IS NOT REQUIRED, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. STRANGELY ENOUGH, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A FIXED WING ACFT NEARBY, AND WITHIN 2 DAYS THE STACK HAD A LIGHT ON IT.

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.

Helicopter pilot has concern regarding an unlit smoke stack near the heliport. During reduced visibility and at night it blends with terrain and is difficult to see.