A B06 PLT; DURING A PHOTO MISSION FOR A LCL NEWS STATION; WAS CONFRONTED BY A POLICE HELI REQUESTING HE LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY.

Narrative

I WAS PLTING A BELL 206B JET RANGER APPROX 11 NM NW OF FDK ARPT. I WAS ON A PHOTO MISSION FOR A LCL NEWS STATION. I WAS FLYING SLOW; IN A CLOCKWISE ORBIT OVER INTERSTATE 70; AT AN ALT OF 2500 FT MSL. I NOTICED 3 OTHER ACFT ALSO ORBITING IN THE SAME AREA; AT A LOWER ALT (APPROX 800-1000 FT MSL). I MAINTAINED AN ADEQUATE SEPARATION WITH THE OTHER ACFT AT ALL TIMES AND MAINTAINED MY ALT AT ALL TIMES. AFTER APPROX 20 MINS OF FLYING IN THE AREA; I NOTICED 1 ACFT BEGIN TO CLB TO MY ALT. SUDDENLY; I WAS BLASTED WITH A HIGH PWRED BEAM OF LIGHT COMING FROM THE ACFT THAT HAD CLBED TO MY ALT. THE CABIN WAS FILLED WITH A WHITE HOT LIGHT AS IT ILLUMINATED THE COCKPIT. I WAS MOMENTARILY BLINDED BY THE INTENSE LIGHT -- AND MY NIGHT VISION COMPLETELY DESTROYED. I RECOVERED THE ACFT AND STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK EVASIVE ACTION AND TURNED THE HELI AWAY FROM THE SOURCE OF THE INCOMING LIGHT. AS I MANEUVERED AWAY FROM THE OTHER ACFT; TO KEEP FROM THE DIRECT BEAM OF LIGHT; I NOTICED THAT THE MARKINGS OF THE OTHER HELI WERE OF A POLICE HELI WITH HIS NIGHTSUN FOCUSED ON MY ACFT. I THEN TRIED TO CONTACT THE OTHER ACFT ON SEVERAL CTAF'S. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE POLICE HELI ON 123.02. THE LIEUTENANT INFORMED ME THAT I MUST LEAVE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY. I OBEYED THE REQUEST; AND BEGAN TO FLY OUT OF THE AREA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT INFO HAD BEEN RECEIVED REGARDING SNIPER SHOOTINGS WHICH HAD PLAGUED THE LCL AREA IN RECENT WKS. THE NEWS DESK DISPATCHED THE RPTR TO COVER THE EVENT. APPARENTLY; LAW ENFORCEMENT DISPATCHED 3 HELIS. THE RPTR STATED HIS WAS THE ONLY NEWS HELI PRESENT. ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERMISSION/COORD TO COVER SUCH EVENTS; A COMMON FREQ IS USED BY POLICE AND NEWS ACFT TO COMMUNICATE THEIR POS. IT WAS SPECULATED BY THE RPTR; THAT DUE TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CASE; THE POLICE WANTED ALL NON PARTICIPATING PERSONNEL TO VACATE THE AREA. APPARENTLY; A HIGH INTENSITY 'NIGHT SUN LIGHT;' USED MAINLY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT; WAS DIRECTED ON HIS ACFT; CAUSING TEMPORARY BLINDNESS. THE RPTR FELT USE OF SUCH A HIGH PWRED LIGHT WAS A COMPROMISE TO SAFETY.