Narrative:

During a day VMC photographic/pleasure flight, made a low (300-500 ft AGL) pass over newman lake, wa. During pass and subsequent departure, complied with far part 91.119 MSA's. FAA inspector residing at newman lake interpreted the regulation differently (apparently). Felts tower notified me, on landing, that the inspector was upset! Far part 91.119 seems to allow low altitude flight over open water or sparsely populated areas. I believed newman lake qualified as both. In addition, the aircraft was never closer than 500 ft to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. The regulation should be clarified to define open water and sparsely populated area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C310 MAKES A LOW PASS PHOTOGRAPHIC FLT OVER A LAKE. HE FEELS HE COMPLIED WITH MSA REG FAR 91 PT 119. FAA INSPECTOR WHO LIVES ON THE LAKE SHORE FEELS DIFFERENTLY.

Narrative: DURING A DAY VMC PHOTOGRAPHIC/PLEASURE FLT, MADE A LOW (300-500 FT AGL) PASS OVER NEWMAN LAKE, WA. DURING PASS AND SUBSEQUENT DEP, COMPLIED WITH FAR PART 91.119 MSA'S. FAA INSPECTOR RESIDING AT NEWMAN LAKE INTERPED THE REG DIFFERENTLY (APPARENTLY). FELTS TWR NOTIFIED ME, ON LNDG, THAT THE INSPECTOR WAS UPSET! FAR PART 91.119 SEEMS TO ALLOW LOW ALT FLT OVER OPEN WATER OR SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS. I BELIEVED NEWMAN LAKE QUALIFIED AS BOTH. IN ADDITION, THE ACFT WAS NEVER CLOSER THAN 500 FT TO ANY PERSON, VESSEL, VEHICLE OR STRUCTURE. THE REG SHOULD BE CLARIFIED TO DEFINE OPEN WATER AND SPARSELY POPULATED AREA.

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.