Narrative:

On the evening of aug/thur/1991 at approximately XA45 pm local I was flying sbound along the chugach mountains in anchorage at approximately 900 ft indicated on my altimeter. The ground below was approximately 286 ft asl as indicated on the VFR terminal area chart for anchorage. This would put me at approximately 614 ft AGL. After flying south to approximately O'mally road, I began a 180 degree turn to the left. This was a rather tight turn and it is possible I may have lost 50-75 ft in the turn, but it was not checked with my altimeter. I was not any lower than 800 ft indicated or approximately 514 ft AGL. After completing my 180 degree turn I then contacted merrill tower and proceeded in to land at that same altitude. I remember checking my altitude at that time, and staying at that 850-900 ft due to merrill pattern altitude being 900 ft. It has been brought to my attention by mr. Ab of the anchorage FSDO that on that evening my aircraft was reported flying as low as 150- 200 ft in that same general vicinity. This cannot be true since I am the only pilot of this aircraft. I feel that I acted with normal respect to the FARS and violated no laws. My aircraft was annualed in may of this yr and when I set my altimeter to the current pressure on the ground it reflects true field elevation. So with those 2 points in mind, I have no reason to believe my altimeter is out of adjustment. Also, my altimeter was set to current merrill field pressure approximately 10-15 mins prior to this occurrence. It appears that it is my word against the person filing the complaint, but it also appears it is only my pilot's certificate at risk. I have a spotless record and I hate to see it mucked up by some individual who may not be qualified to comment on a pilot's performance or judge height.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP GETS A LOW EXPERIENCE LEVEL PLT IN TROUBLE WITH THE FAA.

Narrative: ON THE EVENING OF AUG/THUR/1991 AT APPROX XA45 PM LCL I WAS FLYING SBOUND ALONG THE CHUGACH MOUNTAINS IN ANCHORAGE AT APPROX 900 FT INDICATED ON MY ALTIMETER. THE GND BELOW WAS APPROX 286 FT ASL AS INDICATED ON THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART FOR ANCHORAGE. THIS WOULD PUT ME AT APPROX 614 FT AGL. AFTER FLYING S TO APPROX O'MALLY ROAD, I BEGAN A 180 DEG TURN TO THE L. THIS WAS A RATHER TIGHT TURN AND IT IS POSSIBLE I MAY HAVE LOST 50-75 FT IN THE TURN, BUT IT WAS NOT CHKED WITH MY ALTIMETER. I WAS NOT ANY LOWER THAN 800 FT INDICATED OR APPROX 514 FT AGL. AFTER COMPLETING MY 180 DEG TURN I THEN CONTACTED MERRILL TWR AND PROCEEDED IN TO LAND AT THAT SAME ALT. I REMEMBER CHKING MY ALT AT THAT TIME, AND STAYING AT THAT 850-900 FT DUE TO MERRILL PATTERN ALT BEING 900 FT. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BY MR. AB OF THE ANCHORAGE FSDO THAT ON THAT EVENING MY ACFT WAS RPTED FLYING AS LOW AS 150- 200 FT IN THAT SAME GENERAL VICINITY. THIS CANNOT BE TRUE SINCE I AM THE ONLY PLT OF THIS ACFT. I FEEL THAT I ACTED WITH NORMAL RESPECT TO THE FARS AND VIOLATED NO LAWS. MY ACFT WAS ANNUALED IN MAY OF THIS YR AND WHEN I SET MY ALTIMETER TO THE CURRENT PRESSURE ON THE GND IT REFLECTS TRUE FIELD ELEVATION. SO WITH THOSE 2 POINTS IN MIND, I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE MY ALTIMETER IS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT. ALSO, MY ALTIMETER WAS SET TO CURRENT MERRILL FIELD PRESSURE APPROX 10-15 MINS PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE. IT APPEARS THAT IT IS MY WORD AGAINST THE PERSON FILING THE COMPLAINT, BUT IT ALSO APPEARS IT IS ONLY MY PLT'S CERTIFICATE AT RISK. I HAVE A SPOTLESS RECORD AND I HATE TO SEE IT MUCKED UP BY SOME INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY NOT BE QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON A PLT'S PERFORMANCE OR JUDGE HEIGHT.

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.