Agricultural pilot of an small aircraft sel crop sprayer received a complaint of a resident near a f...

Attributes
ACN	384374
Time
Date	199710
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : etc
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 10 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	384374
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
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	other

Narrative:

I was making a routine crop spraying application to cotton fields located just east of the tarboro airport on oct/tue/97 at approximately XA30-XB00. This application was made within all guidelines of far part 137 and state of nc pesticide regulations. This area is near town but is the appropriate distance with respect to part 91 MSA's. The matter in question is the area which I flew directly over and near within 2000 ft horizontal and operated closer than 500 ft AGL to make the application. This area, as are many of the areas in which I operate have rural homes, barns, etc, and the question is if this is considered sparsely populated or congested? This seems to be a grey area with the FAA. What do they consider congested. The area contained a small trailer park with fewer than 10 trailers, otherwise, a house scattered here and there. The problem is that a resident did complain. If this area is considered sparsely populated, I am in compliance with the regulations under part 137, however if considered congested, I would have had to file a plan with the FSDO showing my intentions in the event of a problem. I feel this area is one in which the FAA needs to clarify, and give definite guidelines as to what is congested, so that aerial applicators can make accurate decisions on their intended jobs. This area is very close to a major town, but well over 2000 ft horizontal of any easily defined congested area. The area I would assume to be sparsely populated but not congested according to the regulations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AGRICULTURAL PLT OF AN SMA SEL CROP SPRAYER RECEIVED A COMPLAINT OF A RESIDENT NEAR A FIELD OVER WHICH HE WAS DISPENSING COTTON CTL SUBSTANCE.

Narrative: I WAS MAKING A ROUTINE CROP SPRAYING APPLICATION TO COTTON FIELDS LOCATED JUST E OF THE TARBORO ARPT ON OCT/TUE/97 AT APPROX XA30-XB00. THIS APPLICATION WAS MADE WITHIN ALL GUIDELINES OF FAR PART 137 AND STATE OF NC PESTICIDE REGS. THIS AREA IS NEAR TOWN BUT IS THE APPROPRIATE DISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO PART 91 MSA'S. THE MATTER IN QUESTION IS THE AREA WHICH I FLEW DIRECTLY OVER AND NEAR WITHIN 2000 FT HORIZ AND OPERATED CLOSER THAN 500 FT AGL TO MAKE THE APPLICATION. THIS AREA, AS ARE MANY OF THE AREAS IN WHICH I OPERATE HAVE RURAL HOMES, BARNS, ETC, AND THE QUESTION IS IF THIS IS CONSIDERED SPARSELY POPULATED OR CONGESTED? THIS SEEMS TO BE A GREY AREA WITH THE FAA. WHAT DO THEY CONSIDER CONGESTED. THE AREA CONTAINED A SMALL TRAILER PARK WITH FEWER THAN 10 TRAILERS, OTHERWISE, A HOUSE SCATTERED HERE AND THERE. THE PROB IS THAT A RESIDENT DID COMPLAIN. IF THIS AREA IS CONSIDERED SPARSELY POPULATED, I AM IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGS UNDER PART 137, HOWEVER IF CONSIDERED CONGESTED, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO FILE A PLAN WITH THE FSDO SHOWING MY INTENTIONS IN THE EVENT OF A PROB. I FEEL THIS AREA IS ONE IN WHICH THE FAA NEEDS TO CLARIFY, AND GIVE DEFINITE GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT IS CONGESTED, SO THAT AERIAL APPLICATORS CAN MAKE ACCURATE DECISIONS ON THEIR INTENDED JOBS. THIS AREA IS VERY CLOSE TO A MAJOR TOWN, BUT WELL OVER 2000 FT HORIZ OF ANY EASILY DEFINED CONGESTED AREA. THE AREA I WOULD ASSUME TO BE SPARSELY POPULATED BUT NOT CONGESTED ACCORDING TO THE REGS.

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.

Agricultural pilot of an small aircraft sel crop sprayer received a complaint of a resident near a field over which he was dispensing cotton control substance.