PLT OF BK117 ROTOR CRAFT NARROWLY AVOIDED CONTACT WITH UNLIGHTED 2049 FT MSL TWR E OF ORH. PLT WAS AT CRUISE AT 2000 FT MSL AT THE TIME.

Date: 2003-04 · Aircraft: MBB-BK 117 All Series · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

PLT OF BK117 ROTOR CRAFT NARROWLY AVOIDED CONTACT WITH UNLIGHTED 2049 FT MSL TWR E OF ORH. PLT WAS AT CRUISE AT 2000 FT MSL AT THE TIME.

Narrative

COMING HOME FROM BOSTON; ENRTE TO ALBANY; NY; I TOLD DISPATCH I WAS GOING TO FLY FURTHER S THAN NORMAL; BECAUSE IT WAS SO DARK I WANTED TO USE THE LIGHTS FROM THE CITIES FOR ATTITUDE REF. APPROX 8 1/2 - 10 MI NE OF ORH; SOMEHOW AT THE LAST SECOND I SAW AN UNLIT TWR AT MY 11:30 O'CLOCK POS AND ABOUT 100 FT ABOVE ME. I PUT IN R CYCLIC TO MISS THE TWR. I CALLED DISPATCH AND TOLD THEM OF THE NEAR MISS. THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A NOTAM POSTED FOR THE TWR. WHEN I GOT BACK TO BASE; I CHKED THE NOTAMS AGAIN ON THE WSI FOR MASSACHUSETTS. THE ONLY TWR LISTED NEAR ORH WAS ONE TO THE NNW 1.7 MI AWAY. I CALLED BURLINGTON FSS AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE UNLIT TWR AND ITS LOCATION. WHEN I CAME BACK ON SHIFT AT XA00; I CHKED THE NOTAMS FOR THE TWR; IT STILL WAS NOT LISTED. I CALLED BUR FSS AGAIN AND ASKED ABOUT THE TWR. THEY SAID IT WAS BDR (BRIDGEPORT'S) AREA AND TO CALL THEM TO SEE WHY IT DIDN'T GET POSTED. I CALLED BDR AND ASKED A BRIEFER ABOUT THE TWR. SHE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING UNDER ORH; BUT FOUND THE TWR UNDER BDR.3B3. I ASKED HER 'WHAT IS IT DOING LISTED UNDER CONNECTICUT; WHEN THE TWR IS LOCATED IN MASSACHUSETTS?' SHE SAID THAT'S HOW THEIR SOFTWARE WORKED; BUT I WAS GLAD IT WAS POSTED. AFTER LOOKING INTO THE TWR A LITTLE FURTHER; I FOUND OUT THE LIGHT HAD BEEN OUT FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS. DISPATCH KNEW ABOUT THE TWR AND FORGOT TO TELL ME ABOUT IT. ONE OF THE WORCESTER PLTS KNEW SOMEONE FROM THE FAA AND GOT THE TWR LISTED UNDER ORH NOTAMS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.