Narrative:

I departed truckee, ca, wbound toward donner pass, elevation approximately 8000 ft. Upon departure there was an opposite direction baron inbound to truckee who discussed using the opposite direction runway from which I had just departed. He decided to use the same direction runway and fly a normal pattern after realizing there was other traffic. There was also a twin who departed immediately after me. I stayed lower rather than climbing until I spotted the baron about a mi north of my position. I then resumed climbing toward the summit. At this time I was being overtaken by the twin which departed behind me. As he was faster, climbing, and not in sight, I elected to stay lower than I would have normally until I could see him or he passed me. I was flying a heading of about 260 degrees and the sun was at a low angle in front of me. I was also 'rubber necking' looking for the twin. Just prior to the twin passing me (same direction, same altitude, about 1 mi to the south of me) I passed to the right and slightly above a ski hill. I believe I was closer than the distances specified in far 91.79(C). I did not see any people present. I was aware of the ski hill being in the area but not that I was as close to it as I was. I climbed immediately when I realized my proximity. Contributing factors were preoccupation with looking for the overtaking aircraft and the low sun angle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28-181 DEPARTS FROM TRK, CA, AND FLIES LOW SO A FASTER SMA MIGHT PASS HIM AT A SAFE CLRING ALT AND DISTANCE. THIS HAPPENED IN ZOA, CA, AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I DEPARTED TRUCKEE, CA, WBOUND TOWARD DONNER PASS, ELEVATION APPROX 8000 FT. UPON DEP THERE WAS AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION BARON INBOUND TO TRUCKEE WHO DISCUSSED USING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION RWY FROM WHICH I HAD JUST DEPARTED. HE DECIDED TO USE THE SAME DIRECTION RWY AND FLY A NORMAL PATTERN AFTER REALIZING THERE WAS OTHER TFC. THERE WAS ALSO A TWIN WHO DEPARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER ME. I STAYED LOWER RATHER THAN CLBING UNTIL I SPOTTED THE BARON ABOUT A MI N OF MY POS. I THEN RESUMED CLBING TOWARD THE SUMMIT. AT THIS TIME I WAS BEING OVERTAKEN BY THE TWIN WHICH DEPARTED BEHIND ME. AS HE WAS FASTER, CLBING, AND NOT IN SIGHT, I ELECTED TO STAY LOWER THAN I WOULD HAVE NORMALLY UNTIL I COULD SEE HIM OR HE PASSED ME. I WAS FLYING A HDG OF ABOUT 260 DEGS AND THE SUN WAS AT A LOW ANGLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ALSO 'RUBBER NECKING' LOOKING FOR THE TWIN. JUST PRIOR TO THE TWIN PASSING ME (SAME DIRECTION, SAME ALT, ABOUT 1 MI TO THE S OF ME) I PASSED TO THE R AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE A SKI HILL. I BELIEVE I WAS CLOSER THAN THE DISTANCES SPECIFIED IN FAR 91.79(C). I DID NOT SEE ANY PEOPLE PRESENT. I WAS AWARE OF THE SKI HILL BEING IN THE AREA BUT NOT THAT I WAS AS CLOSE TO IT AS I WAS. I CLBED IMMEDIATELY WHEN I REALIZED MY PROX. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE PREOCCUPATION WITH LOOKING FOR THE OVERTAKING ACFT AND THE LOW SUN ANGLE.

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.