Low altitude civil operation in an agricultural flight is in violation of FARS.

Attributes
ACN	274067
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : far
State Reference	ND
Altitude	agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 250
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : chs
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	274067
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 250
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was hired to spray a soybean field next to the north edge of casselton city limits. At no time did I come closer than 500 ft to an occupied dwelling. I did however have to turn over the local football field on one of my field entries and I noticed 2 people near the football field. I feel I crossed these people with at least 250 ft altitude. I do not feel I did anything out of the ordinary or dangerous, but due to the adverse public perception of agricultural flying caused by incorrect media reporting, I am filing this report. A person never knows anymore when the public will report you or why. If someone does complain, the local FSDO will surely do its best to level a violation against me, whether I am guilty or innocent. Better information given to the public about agricultural flying would surely help the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP IN AN AGRICULTURAL FLT IS IN VIOLATION OF FARS.

Narrative: I WAS HIRED TO SPRAY A SOYBEAN FIELD NEXT TO THE N EDGE OF CASSELTON CITY LIMITS. AT NO TIME DID I COME CLOSER THAN 500 FT TO AN OCCUPIED DWELLING. I DID HOWEVER HAVE TO TURN OVER THE LCL FOOTBALL FIELD ON ONE OF MY FIELD ENTRIES AND I NOTICED 2 PEOPLE NEAR THE FOOTBALL FIELD. I FEEL I CROSSED THESE PEOPLE WITH AT LEAST 250 FT ALT. I DO NOT FEEL I DID ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY OR DANGEROUS, BUT DUE TO THE ADVERSE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF AGRICULTURAL FLYING CAUSED BY INCORRECT MEDIA RPTING, I AM FILING THIS RPT. A PERSON NEVER KNOWS ANYMORE WHEN THE PUBLIC WILL RPT YOU OR WHY. IF SOMEONE DOES COMPLAIN, THE LCL FSDO WILL SURELY DO ITS BEST TO LEVEL A VIOLATION AGAINST ME, WHETHER I AM GUILTY OR INNOCENT. BETTER INFO GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT AGRICULTURAL FLYING WOULD SURELY HELP THE PROB.

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.