<< >> NASA ASRS Report 603516, December 2003

A helicopter pilot has his aircraft struck by a golf ball after departure, resulting in the pilot landing the aircraft on the driving range of the golf course.

Attributes
ACN	603516
Time
Date	200312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bell 47
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 35 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	603516
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I, the pilot of the helicopter, was cleared by ATC for the south departure from the southwest end of the airport, which is adjacent the golf-course driving range. On takeoff, after clearing the trees, the helicopter was struck by golf balls. I did not want to take any chances in case the helicopter sustained damage, so I initiated a precautionary landing and notified ATC. I landed safely on the golf-course driving range with no personnel or property damage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI PLT HAS HIS ACFT STRUCK BY A GOLF BALL AFTER DEP, RESULTING IN THE PLT LNDG THE ACFT ON THE DRIVING RANGE OF THE GOLF COURSE.

Narrative: I, THE PLT OF THE HELI, WAS CLRED BY ATC FOR THE S DEP FROM THE SW END OF THE ARPT, WHICH IS ADJACENT THE GOLF-COURSE DRIVING RANGE. ON TKOF, AFTER CLRING THE TREES, THE HELI WAS STRUCK BY GOLF BALLS. I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES IN CASE THE HELI SUSTAINED DAMAGE, SO I INITIATED A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AND NOTIFIED ATC. I LANDED SAFELY ON THE GOLF-COURSE DRIVING RANGE WITH NO PERSONNEL OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

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.