Narrative:

During my descent for landing at fishers resort, I turned north and made a low pass over the colorado river to look for friends at approximately 700' AGL. After spotting them, I continued my descent to approximately 200' AGL, never getting closer than 500' from any person on the river. During a mild pull-up and a turn south, I climbed up and proceeded south around the town, entered downwind and landed to the west in a normal procedure. After landing, I was confronted by a sheriff to get both my airplane 'north' number and pilots license number. During my low pass, a fish and game employee reported seeing me within 200' of the river and thought this was illegal. I told him about the 500' rule and he admitted not knowing any FAA rules but felt a letter was necessary. I have 12' numbers on my plane and he was unable to see them. I feel that a letter to both the fish and game and sheriff department explaining basic FAA rules would be a positive step to improve relations between pilots and these different agencies.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOW FLT OVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

Narrative: DURING MY DESCENT FOR LNDG AT FISHERS RESORT, I TURNED NORTH AND MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE COLORADO RIVER TO LOOK FOR FRIENDS AT APPROX 700' AGL. AFTER SPOTTING THEM, I CONTINUED MY DESCENT TO APPROX 200' AGL, NEVER GETTING CLOSER THAN 500' FROM ANY PERSON ON THE RIVER. DURING A MILD PULL-UP AND A TURN SOUTH, I CLIMBED UP AND PROCEEDED SOUTH AROUND THE TOWN, ENTERED DOWNWIND AND LANDED TO THE WEST IN A NORMAL PROC. AFTER LNDG, I WAS CONFRONTED BY A SHERIFF TO GET BOTH MY AIRPLANE 'N' NUMBER AND PLTS LICENSE NUMBER. DURING MY LOW PASS, A FISH AND GAME EMPLOYEE REPORTED SEEING ME WITHIN 200' OF THE RIVER AND THOUGHT THIS WAS ILLEGAL. I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE 500' RULE AND HE ADMITTED NOT KNOWING ANY FAA RULES BUT FELT A LETTER WAS NECESSARY. I HAVE 12' NUMBERS ON MY PLANE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THEM. I FEEL THAT A LETTER TO BOTH THE FISH AND GAME AND SHERIFF DEPT EXPLAINING BASIC FAA RULES WOULD BE A POSITIVE STEP TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN PLTS AND THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES.

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.