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Private pilot of a C172 flew 350 ft over his unapproved property. His neighbor complained to the FAA FSDO for low flying. The FAA investigated the complaint and issued a letter of warning to the reporter for flight below a safe altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 402871 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199805 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : 2g3 |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 350 agl bound upper : 550 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| 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 : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 395 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 402871 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Since I was flying alone, and when I fly alone, I like to practice different maneuvers, to practice these, I like to leave the airport area and get away from the congested areas -- city, union town, PA, and the malls, etc. So I go out to different farms that my friends own, and who gave me permission to practice low approachs, steep spirals, slow flight, etc. But on sunday, I went over my 21 acre rural farm and I was at between 350-550 ft AGL. As close as I remember the altimeter was 1700 ft MSL. The closest airport is 2g3 at 1262 ft, so that put me at 438 ft AGL. However, under the plane I have a valley with about 75- 100 ft slopes on each side. So I could have been around 500-550 ft. The airport told me that someone reported me to the FAA for buzzing. The FAA called me but I haven't been violated yet. However, I will not do this anymore. I feel this is harassment by some neighbor. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the FAA issued a letter of warning to him. The FAA inspector took action based on the power lines running under his low altitude flight path and the neighbor's complaint which was investigated out at the low flying site. He further reiterated that he was not going to make anymore low altitude passes.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 FLEW 350 FT OVER HIS UNAPPROVED PROPERTY. HIS NEIGHBOR COMPLAINED TO THE FAA FSDO FOR LOW FLYING. THE FAA INVESTIGATED THE COMPLAINT AND ISSUED A LETTER OF WARNING TO THE RPTR FOR FLT BELOW A SAFE ALT.
Narrative: SINCE I WAS FLYING ALONE, AND WHEN I FLY ALONE, I LIKE TO PRACTICE DIFFERENT MANEUVERS, TO PRACTICE THESE, I LIKE TO LEAVE THE ARPT AREA AND GET AWAY FROM THE CONGESTED AREAS -- CITY, UNION TOWN, PA, AND THE MALLS, ETC. SO I GO OUT TO DIFFERENT FARMS THAT MY FRIENDS OWN, AND WHO GAVE ME PERMISSION TO PRACTICE LOW APCHS, STEEP SPIRALS, SLOW FLT, ETC. BUT ON SUNDAY, I WENT OVER MY 21 ACRE RURAL FARM AND I WAS AT BTWN 350-550 FT AGL. AS CLOSE AS I REMEMBER THE ALTIMETER WAS 1700 FT MSL. THE CLOSEST ARPT IS 2G3 AT 1262 FT, SO THAT PUT ME AT 438 FT AGL. HOWEVER, UNDER THE PLANE I HAVE A VALLEY WITH ABOUT 75- 100 FT SLOPES ON EACH SIDE. SO I COULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 500-550 FT. THE ARPT TOLD ME THAT SOMEONE RPTED ME TO THE FAA FOR BUZZING. THE FAA CALLED ME BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN VIOLATED YET. HOWEVER, I WILL NOT DO THIS ANYMORE. I FEEL THIS IS HARASSMENT BY SOME NEIGHBOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE FAA ISSUED A LETTER OF WARNING TO HIM. THE FAA INSPECTOR TOOK ACTION BASED ON THE PWR LINES RUNNING UNDER HIS LOW ALT FLT PATH AND THE NEIGHBOR'S COMPLAINT WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED OUT AT THE LOW FLYING SITE. HE FURTHER REITERATED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE ANYMORE LOW ALT PASSES.
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.