Low altitude civil operation brings forth local residents complaints about aircraft noise.

Attributes
ACN	180855
Time
Date	199106
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ome
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Special VFR
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	approach : svfr approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 5650 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	180855
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My aircraft had just come out of maintenance and a test flight was advised before flight away from home base airport, ome. The ceiling was 700' and visibility was 5 mi, so I asked for and received an ATC clearance to operate in the ome airport control zone at or below 2000'. Also advised the FSS that I would be remaining in closed left traffic for runway 27, low approachs. I flew all circuits at approximately 500' to remain in VFR conditions and in visibility contact with the runway. At no time did I get more than 1/2 mi from the runway. The problem was several complaints about aircraft noise. I received several phone calls the next morning complaining that I was buzzing the town and keeping people awake. The location of the runway is such that the left base leg and final approach for runway 27 is over the city of nome. I told them I was sorry, but that I was on a legitimate SVFR clearance and that if I flew any higher I would have been in the clouds. I was as high as I could get west/O being IMC. My aircraft is quite loud and I understand the complaints. I told the people I would not test fly my aircraft so late at night anymore. No malice was intended, but I did upset a few of the townsfolk. I guess for the corrective actions part, I could be a bit more considerate and they a bit more tolerant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OPERATION BRINGS FORTH LCL RESIDENTS COMPLAINTS ABOUT ACFT NOISE.

Narrative: MY ACFT HAD JUST COME OUT OF MAINT AND A TEST FLT WAS ADVISED BEFORE FLT AWAY FROM HOME BASE ARPT, OME. THE CEILING WAS 700' AND VISIBILITY WAS 5 MI, SO I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED AN ATC CLRNC TO OPERATE IN THE OME ARPT CTL ZONE AT OR BELOW 2000'. ALSO ADVISED THE FSS THAT I WOULD BE REMAINING IN CLOSED LEFT TFC FOR RWY 27, LOW APCHS. I FLEW ALL CIRCUITS AT APPROX 500' TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS AND IN VIS CONTACT WITH THE RWY. AT NO TIME DID I GET MORE THAN 1/2 MI FROM THE RWY. THE PROB WAS SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT ACFT NOISE. I RECEIVED SEVERAL PHONE CALLS THE NEXT MORNING COMPLAINING THAT I WAS BUZZING THE TOWN AND KEEPING PEOPLE AWAKE. THE LOCATION OF THE RWY IS SUCH THAT THE LEFT BASE LEG AND FINAL APCH FOR RWY 27 IS OVER THE CITY OF NOME. I TOLD THEM I WAS SORRY, BUT THAT I WAS ON A LEGITIMATE SVFR CLRNC AND THAT IF I FLEW ANY HIGHER I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE CLOUDS. I WAS AS HIGH AS I COULD GET W/O BEING IMC. MY ACFT IS QUITE LOUD AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLAINTS. I TOLD THE PEOPLE I WOULD NOT TEST FLY MY ACFT SO LATE AT NIGHT ANYMORE. NO MALICE WAS INTENDED, BUT I DID UPSET A FEW OF THE TOWNSFOLK. I GUESS FOR THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PART, I COULD BE A BIT MORE CONSIDERATE AND THEY A BIT MORE TOLERANT.

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.