Narrative:

I took off in the local FBO's low wing small aircraft. I then proceeded to fly to the west of santa flight engineer to diablo canyon at the estimated altitude of 7200 ft MSL. I then headed east towards town in search of a friends house. Upon finding the house, I did a 360 degree turn, reduced my altitude and overflew the house. I then did a 180 degree turn and oveflew the house once again. Thereafter I made yet another 180 and headed over town at what I thought was a safe altitude because I realized I got a little low when I began my climb back up to altitude, the ground looked a lot closer than it should have been. I climbed to 10000 ft and headed back to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport I was informed by the tower to call the tower as soon as I got to a phone. I did and was informed that I had been reported for low level flight. Afterwards I was told by a highly experienced pilot that the town was at a higher elevation than the airport, which I thought were the same.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL FLT OVER BUILDINGS BY SPI LEADS TO GND OBS RPTING THE EVENT TO LCL TWR.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF IN THE LCL FBO'S LOW WING SMA. I THEN PROCEEDED TO FLY TO THE W OF SANTA FE TO DIABLO CANYON AT THE ESTIMATED ALT OF 7200 FT MSL. I THEN HEADED E TOWARDS TOWN IN SEARCH OF A FRIENDS HOUSE. UPON FINDING THE HOUSE, I DID A 360 DEG TURN, REDUCED MY ALT AND OVERFLEW THE HOUSE. I THEN DID A 180 DEG TURN AND OVEFLEW THE HOUSE ONCE AGAIN. THEREAFTER I MADE YET ANOTHER 180 AND HEADED OVER TOWN AT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SAFE ALT BECAUSE I REALIZED I GOT A LITTLE LOW WHEN I BEGAN MY CLB BACK UP TO ALT, THE GND LOOKED A LOT CLOSER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I CLBED TO 10000 FT AND HEADED BACK TO THE ARPT. UPON ARRIVING AT THE ARPT I WAS INFORMED BY THE TWR TO CALL THE TWR AS SOON AS I GOT TO A PHONE. I DID AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD BEEN RPTED FOR LOW LEVEL FLT. AFTERWARDS I WAS TOLD BY A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PLT THAT THE TOWN WAS AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THAN THE ARPT, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE THE SAME.

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.