Low altitude civil operation gets an unwelcome 'hello' from an FAA person.

Attributes
ACN	314708
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 9d9
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
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 pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	314708
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a tv camera crew to film a new business. The business is located outside of a small town about 1 mi. Several open fields surround the business so we descended to 500 ft AGL. After about 10 mins the airport called to let me know a citizen had called complaining we were flying too low. We wrapped up at that location and proceeded toward town while climbing to 1500 ft AGL. After a pass over town, we returned to the airport and were met by an FAA person, who immediately accused us of altitude violation. I reviewed our entire flight with him only to find out that he lives between the business and the airport and considers the small subdivision to be 'a heavily congested section of a settlement.' this would of course require a 1000 ft clearance. I do not believe I overflew that subdivision and I do not consider it to be 'heavily congested,' however it is now marked on our map as an area to avoid.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP GETS AN UNWELCOME 'HELLO' FROM AN FAA PERSON.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A TV CAMERA CREW TO FILM A NEW BUSINESS. THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF A SMALL TOWN ABOUT 1 MI. SEVERAL OPEN FIELDS SURROUND THE BUSINESS SO WE DSNDED TO 500 FT AGL. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS THE ARPT CALLED TO LET ME KNOW A CITIZEN HAD CALLED COMPLAINING WE WERE FLYING TOO LOW. WE WRAPPED UP AT THAT LOCATION AND PROCEEDED TOWARD TOWN WHILE CLBING TO 1500 FT AGL. AFTER A PASS OVER TOWN, WE RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND WERE MET BY AN FAA PERSON, WHO IMMEDIATELY ACCUSED US OF ALT VIOLATION. I REVIEWED OUR ENTIRE FLT WITH HIM ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT HE LIVES BTWN THE BUSINESS AND THE ARPT AND CONSIDERS THE SMALL SUBDIVISION TO BE 'A HEAVILY CONGESTED SECTION OF A SETTLEMENT.' THIS WOULD OF COURSE REQUIRE A 1000 FT CLRNC. I DO NOT BELIEVE I OVERFLEW THAT SUBDIVISION AND I DO NOT CONSIDER IT TO BE 'HEAVILY CONGESTED,' HOWEVER IT IS NOW MARKED ON OUR MAP AS AN AREA TO AVOID.

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.