Flight below legal altitude over populated area.

Attributes
ACN	137873
Time
Date	199002
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eka
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	137873
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The local pilots told me of a canyon approach to eka to set under the summer stratus layer. I found it and shot it in VFR (no layer) to get familiar with it. Its very steep. I was doing 200 KTS. One of the bends requires a 40 degree bank turn at this speed. As a neared the bottom I passed over a stand of trees and, lo and behold, there was a settlement! I busted minimum safe altitude as I was pulling up to avoid doing so as I did not notice terrain elevation. I was so interested in the canyon and getting my bearings for future use I did not pay attention to my altitude like I should have. I think I'll shoot the ILS 32 acv to get under low stratus, though this canyon would be ok for higher stratus.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT BELOW LEGAL ALT OVER POPULATED AREA.

Narrative: THE LOCAL PLTS TOLD ME OF A CANYON APCH TO EKA TO SET UNDER THE SUMMER STRATUS LAYER. I FOUND IT AND SHOT IT IN VFR (NO LAYER) TO GET FAMILIAR WITH IT. ITS VERY STEEP. I WAS DOING 200 KTS. ONE OF THE BENDS REQUIRES A 40 DEG BANK TURN AT THIS SPEED. AS A NEARED THE BOTTOM I PASSED OVER A STAND OF TREES AND, LO AND BEHOLD, THERE WAS A SETTLEMENT! I BUSTED MINIMUM SAFE ALT AS I WAS PULLING UP TO AVOID DOING SO AS I DID NOT NOTICE TERRAIN ELEVATION. I WAS SO INTERESTED IN THE CANYON AND GETTING MY BEARINGS FOR FUTURE USE I DID NOT PAY ATTN TO MY ALT LIKE I SHOULD HAVE. I THINK I'LL SHOOT THE ILS 32 ACV TO GET UNDER LOW STRATUS, THOUGH THIS CANYON WOULD BE OK FOR HIGHER STRATUS.

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