Small aircraft descends too low over monument valley while sightseeing.

Attributes
ACN	276977
Time
Date	199407
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 0v7
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1000
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 other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	276777
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While circling over monument valley navajo park to view the buttes and other natural wonders, I realized that I had allowed the aircraft to drop to about 700 ft AGL. Contributing factors: turbulence and allowing self to become over-awed by the grandeur of the sights. How discovered: I flew near a butte, noticed its height was closer than I expected, and glanced at my altimeter. Future corrective action: keep closer tabs on altimeter when sightseeing at altitudes and separations near the legal minimums.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DSNDS TOO LOW OVER MONUMENT VALLEY WHILE SIGHTSEEING.

Narrative: WHILE CIRCLING OVER MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO PARK TO VIEW THE BUTTES AND OTHER NATURAL WONDERS, I REALIZED THAT I HAD ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DROP TO ABOUT 700 FT AGL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: TURB AND ALLOWING SELF TO BECOME OVER-AWED BY THE GRANDEUR OF THE SIGHTS. HOW DISCOVERED: I FLEW NEAR A BUTTE, NOTICED ITS HEIGHT WAS CLOSER THAN I EXPECTED, AND GLANCED AT MY ALTIMETER. FUTURE CORRECTIVE ACTION: KEEP CLOSER TABS ON ALTIMETER WHEN SIGHTSEEING AT ALTS AND SEPARATIONS NEAR THE LEGAL MINIMUMS.

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.