Pilot of an small aircraft private aircraft operated below required minimums during a photo flight.

Attributes
ACN	265554
Time
Date	199403
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : orh
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 430
ASRS Report	265554
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying over a sparsely populated area taking photos at about 600 ft AGL and somebody told the FAA that I was buzzing a house at 100 ft. I wasn't. They also questioned about the area being sparsely populated. In my mind I didn't think that it was because the navigation maps are shaded in yellow that are densely populated. I also have a passenger who is a law enforcement (police officer) who was flying with me who can verify my story. I did not intentionally break any FAA regulations. In the FARS there is no definite answer about what is considered sparsely populated and what is not. It is in very vague terms and can be interpreted in as many ways as the people who read it. Maybe color code maps to highlight or shade them differently.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA PVT ACFT OPERATED BELOW REQUIRED MINIMUMS DURING A PHOTO FLT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING OVER A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA TAKING PHOTOS AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL AND SOMEBODY TOLD THE FAA THAT I WAS BUZZING A HOUSE AT 100 FT. I WASN'T. THEY ALSO QUESTIONED ABOUT THE AREA BEING SPARSELY POPULATED. IN MY MIND I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT WAS BECAUSE THE NAV MAPS ARE SHADED IN YELLOW THAT ARE DENSELY POPULATED. I ALSO HAVE A PAX WHO IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT (POLICE OFFICER) WHO WAS FLYING WITH ME WHO CAN VERIFY MY STORY. I DID NOT INTENTIONALLY BREAK ANY FAA REGS. IN THE FARS THERE IS NO DEFINITE ANSWER ABOUT WHAT IS CONSIDERED SPARSELY POPULATED AND WHAT IS NOT. IT IS IN VERY VAGUE TERMS AND CAN BE INTERPRETED IN AS MANY WAYS AS THE PEOPLE WHO READ IT. MAYBE COLOR CODE MAPS TO HIGHLIGHT OR SHADE THEM DIFFERENTLY.

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.