Narrative:

Around xx:30 local, I was plting a 4 place high-winged aircraft with 3 light passenger aboard around the hollywood/downtown area. The temperature was cool and the air was still with visibility of at least 25 mi. The purpose of the flight was to enjoy a nighttime view of the city. Initially, my altitude was 2000' MSL or less, with lax 046 degree radial tuned in my VOR with a 'from' indication, as to not violate the lax TCA. After overlying the coliseum and circling downtown, I headed toward hollywood. There, I began circling a few landmarks, and dropped a considerable amount of altitude. Using poor judgement, I continued to fly at this altitude (1000' MSL or less) over a congested area because the view was so much better. At this time, I saw a police helicopter and climbed immediately. I continued my flight over the ocean toward malibu, again flying low, but this time I was over the water and within legal limits. I returned to smo, climbed to 1500' MSL and called my downwind, base and final, on CTAF 120.1. Upon landing and taxiing to the tie-down, a lapd helicopter called on the frequency for me to shut down. 2 helicopter's landed while another circled above. The officers notified me that they received a complaint from a resident about a low-flying aircraft. They also explained the safety hazards of low flight, especially at night. Although I had no intentions of jeopardizing the safety of my passenger or persons on the ground, by my actions, I was doing so. As PIC, I am 100% responsible for this flight and the event(south), and will accept fully whatever the outcome may be. I am a low time pilot (55 hours) and have had my certificate 1 week. I have learned a valuable lesson re: the safe operation of an aircraft and will establish good habits from now on, instead of bad ones, had this even gone unchked. Also, I wish to absolve my flight instrument(south) of any responsibility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FLYING OVER RESIDENTIAL AREA RESULTS IN POLICE HELICOPTER INTERCEPT.

Narrative: AROUND XX:30 LCL, I WAS PLTING A 4 PLACE HIGH-WINGED ACFT WITH 3 LIGHT PAX ABOARD AROUND THE HOLLYWOOD/DOWNTOWN AREA. THE TEMP WAS COOL AND THE AIR WAS STILL WITH VISIBILITY OF AT LEAST 25 MI. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO ENJOY A NIGHTTIME VIEW OF THE CITY. INITIALLY, MY ALT WAS 2000' MSL OR LESS, WITH LAX 046 DEG RADIAL TUNED IN MY VOR WITH A 'FROM' INDICATION, AS TO NOT VIOLATE THE LAX TCA. AFTER OVERLYING THE COLISEUM AND CIRCLING DOWNTOWN, I HEADED TOWARD HOLLYWOOD. THERE, I BEGAN CIRCLING A FEW LANDMARKS, AND DROPPED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ALT. USING POOR JUDGEMENT, I CONTINUED TO FLY AT THIS ALT (1000' MSL OR LESS) OVER A CONGESTED AREA BECAUSE THE VIEW WAS SO MUCH BETTER. AT THIS TIME, I SAW A POLICE HELI AND CLBED IMMEDIATELY. I CONTINUED MY FLT OVER THE OCEAN TOWARD MALIBU, AGAIN FLYING LOW, BUT THIS TIME I WAS OVER THE WATER AND WITHIN LEGAL LIMITS. I RETURNED TO SMO, CLBED TO 1500' MSL AND CALLED MY DOWNWIND, BASE AND FINAL, ON CTAF 120.1. UPON LNDG AND TAXIING TO THE TIE-DOWN, A LAPD HELI CALLED ON THE FREQ FOR ME TO SHUT DOWN. 2 HELI'S LANDED WHILE ANOTHER CIRCLED ABOVE. THE OFFICERS NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM A RESIDENT ABOUT A LOW-FLYING ACFT. THEY ALSO EXPLAINED THE SAFETY HAZARDS OF LOW FLT, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. ALTHOUGH I HAD NO INTENTIONS OF JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF MY PAX OR PERSONS ON THE GND, BY MY ACTIONS, I WAS DOING SO. AS PIC, I AM 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FLT AND THE EVENT(S), AND WILL ACCEPT FULLY WHATEVER THE OUTCOME MAY BE. I AM A LOW TIME PLT (55 HRS) AND HAVE HAD MY CERTIFICATE 1 WK. I HAVE LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON RE: THE SAFE OPERATION OF AN ACFT AND WILL ESTABLISH GOOD HABITS FROM NOW ON, INSTEAD OF BAD ONES, HAD THIS EVEN GONE UNCHKED. ALSO, I WISH TO ABSOLVE MY FLT INSTR(S) OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

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.