Small aircraft pilot sightseeing at home town descended to 1000' above town.

Attributes
ACN	116115
Time
Date	198907
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 75d airport : 57d
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 220
ASRS Report	116115
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I flew over the village of garden, mi to observe preparations for special interest activity. I was southbound along the county road leading to town and had just prior descended from 6500' MSL from over lake michigan near manistique. I flew southbound over town watching for traffic and looking for activities on the ground. Upon reaching the south end of town I turned 180 degree while over a field, configured for a climb and flew northbound over town and then departed the area. During the southbound pass I was concentrating on flying and ground observation and inadvertently descended below 1800' MSL altitude which would have kept 1000' AGL. Descent was to approximately 1200 MSL. The town length is about 1 mi by 1/2 mi wide with numerous fields surrounding. I believe this situation occurred due to my excitement of arriving at my hometown distracting me from altimeter scans. It will not happen again as I will continue to practice to be even more cognizant of the relationship between the far's and activities in the cockpit and I have no desire or intention to be in violation of any FARS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT SIGHTSEEING AT HOME TOWN DESCENDED TO 1000' ABOVE TOWN.

Narrative: I FLEW OVER THE VILLAGE OF GARDEN, MI TO OBSERVE PREPARATIONS FOR SPECIAL INTEREST ACTIVITY. I WAS SBND ALONG THE COUNTY ROAD LEADING TO TOWN AND HAD JUST PRIOR DESCENDED FROM 6500' MSL FROM OVER LAKE MICHIGAN NEAR MANISTIQUE. I FLEW SBND OVER TOWN WATCHING FOR TFC AND LOOKING FOR ACTIVITIES ON THE GND. UPON REACHING THE SOUTH END OF TOWN I TURNED 180 DEG WHILE OVER A FIELD, CONFIGURED FOR A CLIMB AND FLEW NBOUND OVER TOWN AND THEN DEPARTED THE AREA. DURING THE SBND PASS I WAS CONCENTRATING ON FLYING AND GND OBSERVATION AND INADVERTENTLY DESCENDED BELOW 1800' MSL ALT WHICH WOULD HAVE KEPT 1000' AGL. DSCNT WAS TO APPROX 1200 MSL. THE TOWN LENGTH IS ABOUT 1 MI BY 1/2 MI WIDE WITH NUMEROUS FIELDS SURROUNDING. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION OCCURRED DUE TO MY EXCITEMENT OF ARRIVING AT MY HOMETOWN DISTRACTING ME FROM ALTIMETER SCANS. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN AS I WILL CONTINUE TO PRACTICE TO BE EVEN MORE COGNIZANT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FAR'S AND ACTIVITIES IN THE COCKPIT AND I HAVE NO DESIRE OR INTENTION TO BE IN VIOLATION OF ANY FARS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.