Small aircraft on approach to non tower airport alleged to have flown below 500 ft.

Attributes
ACN	235518
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eka
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	235518
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was flying small aircraft, coming from blue lake to murray field, following the mad river. The altitude down the river was 500- 600 ft, clear of all dwellings. As I reached the town of arcata, the fog raised. I passed arcata at 1200 ft. As I got to the north end of humboldt bay, the ceiling dropped to about 700 ft. I turned base leg for runway 11, and landed. Now, the problem, there were 2 aircraft following me and I was giving them 'PIREPS' as they were following me in (giving my 'north' number). The local coast guard helicopter was monitoring our xmissions, and made their report that I was flying at 300 ft. 2 other aircraft in the area heard the coast guard pilot call the acv FSS and tell them to notify FSDO that my aircraft was flying at 300 ft. Totally untrue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON APCH TO NON TWR ARPT ALLEGED TO HAVE FLOWN BELOW 500 FT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING SMA, COMING FROM BLUE LAKE TO MURRAY FIELD, FOLLOWING THE MAD RIVER. THE ALT DOWN THE RIVER WAS 500- 600 FT, CLR OF ALL DWELLINGS. AS I REACHED THE TOWN OF ARCATA, THE FOG RAISED. I PASSED ARCATA AT 1200 FT. AS I GOT TO THE N END OF HUMBOLDT BAY, THE CEILING DROPPED TO ABOUT 700 FT. I TURNED BASE LEG FOR RWY 11, AND LANDED. NOW, THE PROB, THERE WERE 2 ACFT FOLLOWING ME AND I WAS GIVING THEM 'PIREPS' AS THEY WERE FOLLOWING ME IN (GIVING MY 'N' NUMBER). THE LCL COAST GUARD HELI WAS MONITORING OUR XMISSIONS, AND MADE THEIR RPT THAT I WAS FLYING AT 300 FT. 2 OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA HEARD THE COAST GUARD PLT CALL THE ACV FSS AND TELL THEM TO NOTIFY FSDO THAT MY ACFT WAS FLYING AT 300 FT. TOTALLY UNTRUE.

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.