An air ambulance pilot had a near miss with parasailor being towed by a boat near lny.

Attributes
ACN	443075
Time
Date	199907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ogg.airport
State Reference	HI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	443075
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : pax
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from honolulu to kahului, maui, I observed a large military vessel maneuvering to anchor off lahaina. I descended from 1500 ft to 500 ft MSL (overwater) in order to get a better look at it. My attention was focused on the ship and how I was going to maneuver for the best view. While level at 500 ft, the front seat passenger directed my attention to a parasailor (person harnessed to a parachute and being towed aloft by a power boat) which was almost directly ahead and slightly below us. I immediately initiated a right turn to clear the parasailor by as wide a margin as possible. In retrospect, I believe I erred by not continuing to scan for traffic and fixating on the ship. Additionally, I was aware of parasailing activity in the area, but was not concerned about it because I didn't think that they operated at that altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR AMBULANCE PLT HAD A NEAR MISS WITH PARASAILOR BEING TOWED BY A BOAT NEAR LNY.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM HONOLULU TO KAHULUI, MAUI, I OBSERVED A LARGE MIL VESSEL MANEUVERING TO ANCHOR OFF LAHAINA. I DSNDED FROM 1500 FT TO 500 FT MSL (OVERWATER) IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT IT. MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON THE SHIP AND HOW I WAS GOING TO MANEUVER FOR THE BEST VIEW. WHILE LEVEL AT 500 FT, THE FRONT SEAT PAX DIRECTED MY ATTN TO A PARASAILOR (PERSON HARNESSED TO A PARACHUTE AND BEING TOWED ALOFT BY A PWR BOAT) WHICH WAS ALMOST DIRECTLY AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY BELOW US. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A R TURN TO CLR THE PARASAILOR BY AS WIDE A MARGIN AS POSSIBLE. IN RETROSPECT, I BELIEVE I ERRED BY NOT CONTINUING TO SCAN FOR TFC AND FIXATING ON THE SHIP. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS AWARE OF PARASAILING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA, BUT WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK THAT THEY OPERATED AT THAT ALT.

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.