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BK117 helicopter pilot claims unlit towers in florida are a hazard to low flying helicopters doing EMS and law enforcement work.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 389448 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199712 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tpa |
| State Reference | FL |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Helicopter |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude descent : intermediate altitude descent other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 1200 |
| ASRS Report | 389448 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Is there anything you can do about the quickly growing problem of unlit towers? Current florida NOTAMS show 25 unlighted towers (dec/xa/97) including 11 over 500 ft AGL and 3 over 1000 ft AGL (1574 ft AGL is highest). This only includes towers that are reported. There also is a problem with cell phone towers. From what I've heard, they are below the ht that either the FAA or FCC requires lights, but low flying aircraft such as EMS, law enforcement and media are operating around them. Is there any way to convince tower operators of the potential hazard? I've got to assume there is electrical power to all these towers and it wouldn't be that hard to put lights on them. I've gotten closer than I would have liked. I saw the tower as I did a reconnaissance orbit over an lz at an accident scene. It was unlighted and painted dark gray. Thanks for anything you can do.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BK117 HELI PLT CLAIMS UNLIT TWRS IN FLORIDA ARE A HAZARD TO LOW FLYING HELIS DOING EMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WORK.
Narrative: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THE QUICKLY GROWING PROB OF UNLIT TWRS? CURRENT FLORIDA NOTAMS SHOW 25 UNLIGHTED TWRS (DEC/XA/97) INCLUDING 11 OVER 500 FT AGL AND 3 OVER 1000 FT AGL (1574 FT AGL IS HIGHEST). THIS ONLY INCLUDES TWRS THAT ARE RPTED. THERE ALSO IS A PROB WITH CELL PHONE TWRS. FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, THEY ARE BELOW THE HT THAT EITHER THE FAA OR FCC REQUIRES LIGHTS, BUT LOW FLYING ACFT SUCH AS EMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MEDIA ARE OPERATING AROUND THEM. IS THERE ANY WAY TO CONVINCE TWR OPERATORS OF THE POTENTIAL HAZARD? I'VE GOT TO ASSUME THERE IS ELECTRICAL PWR TO ALL THESE TWRS AND IT WOULDN'T BE THAT HARD TO PUT LIGHTS ON THEM. I'VE GOTTEN CLOSER THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED. I SAW THE TWR AS I DID A RECONNAISSANCE ORBIT OVER AN LZ AT AN ACCIDENT SCENE. IT WAS UNLIGHTED AND PAINTED DARK GRAY. THANKS FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO.
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.