Bridge workers complained about agriculture spray operator of a turboprop agriculture aircraft comin...

Attributes
ACN	411329
Time
Date	199808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : huh airport : ne35
State Reference	NE
Altitude	agl bound lower : 5 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13600 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	411329
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	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At the beginning of aerial application on a field, I was focused on the heading indicator on the GPS light bar mounted on the aircraft's nose. Just as I got the heading I wanted, I noticed beyond the light bar several construction workers standing on a bridge at the end of the field. I didn't have any spray on yet and doublechked that as I hauled back on the control stick, which all probably looked to the workers like a royal buzz job. Since omitting the field would have upset my whole daily schedule, I proceeded to the opposite side of the field and was working my way back and forth each swath getting closer to them in hopes they might decide to leave for a coffee break since it was mid morning. When I had worked my way to within 1000 ft perpendicular to them, I aborted operations and headed for home with my partial load. A few mins later, dispatch radioed me that the bridge crew called operations wondering what product I was using and advised that they 'had to evacuate/evacuation the area.' why, I don't know. Since they were gone, I returned to the field, observed no one present, and finished the job. I guess I should have circled the field first, but I was very familiar with it having treated it several times in previous yrs and several times this season. In addition, I'd just been by there a few hours earlier, and no one was present.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BRIDGE WORKERS COMPLAINED ABOUT AGRICULTURE SPRAY OPERATOR OF A TURBOPROP AGRICULTURE ACFT COMING RIGHT OVER THEM ON A BRIDGE ADJACENT TO A FIELD IN WHICH RPTR WAS SPRAYING.

Narrative: AT THE BEGINNING OF AERIAL APPLICATION ON A FIELD, I WAS FOCUSED ON THE HDG INDICATOR ON THE GPS LIGHT BAR MOUNTED ON THE ACFT'S NOSE. JUST AS I GOT THE HDG I WANTED, I NOTICED BEYOND THE LIGHT BAR SEVERAL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS STANDING ON A BRIDGE AT THE END OF THE FIELD. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY SPRAY ON YET AND DOUBLECHKED THAT AS I HAULED BACK ON THE CTL STICK, WHICH ALL PROBABLY LOOKED TO THE WORKERS LIKE A ROYAL BUZZ JOB. SINCE OMITTING THE FIELD WOULD HAVE UPSET MY WHOLE DAILY SCHEDULE, I PROCEEDED TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FIELD AND WAS WORKING MY WAY BACK AND FORTH EACH SWATH GETTING CLOSER TO THEM IN HOPES THEY MIGHT DECIDE TO LEAVE FOR A COFFEE BREAK SINCE IT WAS MID MORNING. WHEN I HAD WORKED MY WAY TO WITHIN 1000 FT PERPENDICULAR TO THEM, I ABORTED OPS AND HEADED FOR HOME WITH MY PARTIAL LOAD. A FEW MINS LATER, DISPATCH RADIOED ME THAT THE BRIDGE CREW CALLED OPS WONDERING WHAT PRODUCT I WAS USING AND ADVISED THAT THEY 'HAD TO EVAC THE AREA.' WHY, I DON'T KNOW. SINCE THEY WERE GONE, I RETURNED TO THE FIELD, OBSERVED NO ONE PRESENT, AND FINISHED THE JOB. I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE CIRCLED THE FIELD FIRST, BUT I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT HAVING TREATED IT SEVERAL TIMES IN PREVIOUS YRS AND SEVERAL TIMES THIS SEASON. IN ADDITION, I'D JUST BEEN BY THERE A FEW HRS EARLIER, AND NO ONE WAS PRESENT.

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.

Bridge workers complained about agriculture spray operator of a turboprop agriculture aircraft coming right over them on a bridge adjacent to a field in which reporter was spraying.