While remaining clear of clouds, small aircraft flew less than 500 ft above the ground.

Attributes
ACN	348090
Time
Date	199609
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : flg
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 8000
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
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	348090
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a VFR flight from ffz, falcon field, mesa, az to ble, bryce canyon, ut, I encountered a 1000 ft ceiling in the vicinity which I felt I was legal to navigation under. While in the surface class east extension near flg, I was able to easily maintain 500 ft below the ceiling and probably close to 8 mi visibility. Occasionally, however, I was not able to maintain my standard 500 ft AGL which I feel comfortable with. I came to the realization that my definition of sparsely populated may be different from the FAA's. Although I avoided all buildings by at least 500 ft, I suppose I may have incurred on that limit if an unseen fence or some such thing is considered a structure. I have ran this regulation by several pilots and CFI's, and while pretty much everybody can virtually quote the regulation, no one had any knowledge of the definitions of 'congested areas,' 'other than congested areas,' 'sparsely populated areas,' or what 'structure' implies. While I don't believe that I violated any far, the ambiguous nature of 91.119's wording had me wondering. I intend to call the local FSDO and get clear on this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE REMAINING CLR OF CLOUDS, SMA FLEW LESS THAN 500 FT ABOVE THE GND.

Narrative: WHILE ON A VFR FLT FROM FFZ, FALCON FIELD, MESA, AZ TO BLE, BRYCE CANYON, UT, I ENCOUNTERED A 1000 FT CEILING IN THE VICINITY WHICH I FELT I WAS LEGAL TO NAV UNDER. WHILE IN THE SURFACE CLASS E EXTENSION NEAR FLG, I WAS ABLE TO EASILY MAINTAIN 500 FT BELOW THE CEILING AND PROBABLY CLOSE TO 8 MI VISIBILITY. OCCASIONALLY, HOWEVER, I WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN MY STANDARD 500 FT AGL WHICH I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. I CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT MY DEFINITION OF SPARSELY POPULATED MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE FAA'S. ALTHOUGH I AVOIDED ALL BUILDINGS BY AT LEAST 500 FT, I SUPPOSE I MAY HAVE INCURRED ON THAT LIMIT IF AN UNSEEN FENCE OR SOME SUCH THING IS CONSIDERED A STRUCTURE. I HAVE RAN THIS REG BY SEVERAL PLTS AND CFI'S, AND WHILE PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY CAN VIRTUALLY QUOTE THE REG, NO ONE HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEFINITIONS OF 'CONGESTED AREAS,' 'OTHER THAN CONGESTED AREAS,' 'SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS,' OR WHAT 'STRUCTURE' IMPLIES. WHILE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I VIOLATED ANY FAR, THE AMBIGUOUS NATURE OF 91.119'S WORDING HAD ME WONDERING. I INTEND TO CALL THE LCL FSDO AND GET CLR ON THIS.

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.