Low altitude civil operation for photo taking is reported as being too low over the water.

Attributes
ACN	249476
Time
Date	199308
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tvl
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tvl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	249476
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe 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
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On aug/fri/93, I, with 2 passenger, departed south lake tahoe airport for a local flight to take photographs of busy fields on the south end of lake tahoe. I notified the tower prior to takeoff of my intentions and that I would remain below pattern altitude and above 500 ft over the water. After takeoff, I proceeded to descend from pattern altitude over the water to 500 ft and take a series of photographs of 3 marinas at the south end of lake tahoe. Specifically, they're buoy fields for use by the state of ca to show the location of buoys. At all times, I maintained a 500 ft distance from any boat and at no time was I over the shoreline except at pattern altitude. On calling to tower to re-enter the pattern for landing, I was notified there had been a telephone call concerning an airplane flying over the water. I notified them I had stayed 500 ft above any object and that I was never over the land over pattern altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP FOR PHOTO TAKING IS RPTED AS BEING TOO LOW OVER THE WATER.

Narrative: ON AUG/FRI/93, I, WITH 2 PAX, DEPARTED S LAKE TAHOE ARPT FOR A LCL FLT TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF BUSY FIELDS ON THE S END OF LAKE TAHOE. I NOTIFIED THE TWR PRIOR TO TKOF OF MY INTENTIONS AND THAT I WOULD REMAIN BELOW PATTERN ALT AND ABOVE 500 FT OVER THE WATER. AFTER TKOF, I PROCEEDED TO DSND FROM PATTERN ALT OVER THE WATER TO 500 FT AND TAKE A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF 3 MARINAS AT THE S END OF LAKE TAHOE. SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE BUOY FIELDS FOR USE BY THE STATE OF CA TO SHOW THE LOCATION OF BUOYS. AT ALL TIMES, I MAINTAINED A 500 FT DISTANCE FROM ANY BOAT AND AT NO TIME WAS I OVER THE SHORELINE EXCEPT AT PATTERN ALT. ON CALLING TO TWR TO RE-ENTER THE PATTERN FOR LNDG, I WAS NOTIFIED THERE HAD BEEN A TELEPHONE CALL CONCERNING AN AIRPLANE FLYING OVER THE WATER. I NOTIFIED THEM I HAD STAYED 500 FT ABOVE ANY OBJECT AND THAT I WAS NEVER OVER THE LAND OVER PATTERN ALT.

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.