ATR42 hit a kite while on approach at sju, pr. Kite altitude was 750 ft AGL.

Attributes
ACN	422496
Time
Date	199808
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sju airport : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 750 agl bound upper : 750
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sju
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1718 flight time type : 261
ASRS Report	422496
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were flying a visual approach to runway 10 at sju using the ILS. At about 750 ft, I saw a kite 1/4 NM directly ahead and slightly higher. There was no time to avoid it. It seemed that we passed under it. We advised tower of the hazard. When we parked, I saw the ramp person, who parked us, pulling string and kite debris from the starboard wing. There was no apparent damage to the aircraft, but we could easily have taken it down the engine intake. It is common to see kites flown on the approach to runway 10 at sju or near the downwind for isla grande airport in san juan. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot stated that children living in pr fly kites regularly, and that the activity is most prevalent on saturday and sunday, and in the summer time. Areas around the san juan national historic site and around the fernando luis ribas dominicci airport are popular areas also. Some sites have signs stating 'no kite flying,' but these are ignored. The local auths simply don't have time to enforce kite flying regulations. The pilot stated that no action was taken when he reported his kite strike to the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR42 HIT A KITE WHILE ON APCH AT SJU, PR. KITE ALT WAS 750 FT AGL.

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 10 AT SJU USING THE ILS. AT ABOUT 750 FT, I SAW A KITE 1/4 NM DIRECTLY AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY HIGHER. THERE WAS NO TIME TO AVOID IT. IT SEEMED THAT WE PASSED UNDER IT. WE ADVISED TWR OF THE HAZARD. WHEN WE PARKED, I SAW THE RAMP PERSON, WHO PARKED US, PULLING STRING AND KITE DEBRIS FROM THE STARBOARD WING. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, BUT WE COULD EASILY HAVE TAKEN IT DOWN THE ENG INTAKE. IT IS COMMON TO SEE KITES FLOWN ON THE APCH TO RWY 10 AT SJU OR NEAR THE DOWNWIND FOR ISLA GRANDE ARPT IN SAN JUAN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT STATED THAT CHILDREN LIVING IN PR FLY KITES REGULARLY, AND THAT THE ACTIVITY IS MOST PREVALENT ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, AND IN THE SUMMER TIME. AREAS AROUND THE SAN JUAN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE AND AROUND THE FERNANDO LUIS RIBAS DOMINICCI ARPT ARE POPULAR AREAS ALSO. SOME SITES HAVE SIGNS STATING 'NO KITE FLYING,' BUT THESE ARE IGNORED. THE LCL AUTHS SIMPLY DON'T HAVE TIME TO ENFORCE KITE FLYING REGS. THE PLT STATED THAT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN WHEN HE RPTED HIS KITE STRIKE TO THE TWR.

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.