Banner tow pilot came closer to uninvolved ground personnel than he was comfortable with.

Attributes
ACN	438852
Time
Date	199906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cpk.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 500 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	438852
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : person non adherence : far other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The event occurred during banner tow operations at a municipal airport. Runway and taxiway improvements are underway at this time. At the behest of the airport manager, the banner operation was moved to an area between the departure end of the runway and the parallel taxiway. After the banners were placed in position for pickup, a paving crew arrived and began overlaying the taxiway within 50 ft of the pickup area. When queried, the airport manager stated he saw no conflict and the crew would slowly be working away from the banner area. After a 30 min delay, I took off and circled the area. I was again assured of adequate spacing by the airport manager. However, during the pickup I felt I was uncomfortably close to the paving crew. During banner pickups it is necessary to fixate on the task at hand while peripherally viewing the surrounding area. I was assured of spacing and mistakenly followed flawed advice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BANNER TOW PLT CAME CLOSER TO UNINVOLVED GND PERSONNEL THAN HE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH.

Narrative: THE EVENT OCCURRED DURING BANNER TOW OPS AT A MUNICIPAL ARPT. RWY AND TXWY IMPROVEMENTS ARE UNDERWAY AT THIS TIME. AT THE BEHEST OF THE ARPT MGR, THE BANNER OP WAS MOVED TO AN AREA BTWN THE DEP END OF THE RWY AND THE PARALLEL TXWY. AFTER THE BANNERS WERE PLACED IN POS FOR PICKUP, A PAVING CREW ARRIVED AND BEGAN OVERLAYING THE TXWY WITHIN 50 FT OF THE PICKUP AREA. WHEN QUERIED, THE ARPT MGR STATED HE SAW NO CONFLICT AND THE CREW WOULD SLOWLY BE WORKING AWAY FROM THE BANNER AREA. AFTER A 30 MIN DELAY, I TOOK OFF AND CIRCLED THE AREA. I WAS AGAIN ASSURED OF ADEQUATE SPACING BY THE ARPT MGR. HOWEVER, DURING THE PICKUP I FELT I WAS UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO THE PAVING CREW. DURING BANNER PICKUPS IT IS NECESSARY TO FIXATE ON THE TASK AT HAND WHILE PERIPHERALLY VIEWING THE SURROUNDING AREA. I WAS ASSURED OF SPACING AND MISTAKENLY FOLLOWED FLAWED ADVICE.

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.