On April 20, 2007, about 2313 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N422G struck the mooring cable of a tethered aerostat housing a radar head at Cudjoe Key, Florida. According to two witnesses, when the airplane collided with the Tethered Aerostat Radar System's (TARS) 8000 ft long cable, its left wing came off and the aircraft impacted the water a quarter-mile from the island where the witnesses were. It was later ascertained that the impact occurred at a height equating to a cable payout of 4533ft and a pitch of 9.2 degrees (i.e. at about 4000ft). A video record taken from the tether's anchor point recorded the aircraft's lights against the background of the aerostat's lights just prior to the cable-strike. Despite the tragic loss of life, the hazard posed by the unlighted cable is unlikely to be addressed by any safety measures beyond promulgation of the area as a restricted area. Related Story