Pilot of small aircraft aircraft on photographic mission allegedly flew too low over stadium.

Attributes
ACN	189994
Time
Date	199109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tcl
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1300 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tcl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 1050
ASRS Report	189994
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a photographer over the university of alabama stadium at various altitudes. We had agreed to photo at 1000 ft above the stadium. A police helicopter reported on the tower frequency that if I did not stay above 1000 ft he would cite me. At that point I looked again at my altimeter, which read 1300 ft. However, I went up to 1500 ft. When I arrived back at the airport, I was advised by the tower that someone from the FSDO in birmingham was at the stadium and thought I was too low. They said he wanted my name and certificate number, which I gave to them. Also, I did have the current altimeter setting.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ACFT ON PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION ALLEGEDLY FLEW TOO LOW OVER STADIUM.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A PHOTOGRAPHER OVER THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA STADIUM AT VARIOUS ALTS. WE HAD AGREED TO PHOTO AT 1000 FT ABOVE THE STADIUM. A POLICE HELI RPTED ON THE TWR FREQ THAT IF I DID NOT STAY ABOVE 1000 FT HE WOULD CITE ME. AT THAT POINT I LOOKED AGAIN AT MY ALTIMETER, WHICH READ 1300 FT. HOWEVER, I WENT UP TO 1500 FT. WHEN I ARRIVED BACK AT THE ARPT, I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT SOMEONE FROM THE FSDO IN BIRMINGHAM WAS AT THE STADIUM AND THOUGHT I WAS TOO LOW. THEY SAID HE WANTED MY NAME AND CERTIFICATE NUMBER, WHICH I GAVE TO THEM. ALSO, I DID HAVE THE CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING.

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.