Narrative:

I was on a sightseeing flight under part 91 (takeoff and landing at same airport, within 25 NM). The passenger requested to fly over his house to show his girlfriend the sign with which he intended to propose to her. While looking at the sign, inadvertently I dropped below 1000 ft to about 500 ft. Once I realized my mistake I regained my altitude as soon as possible, but not before a police helicopter could spot me and follow to the airport. The problem arose by the fact I was distraction looking for the sign on the ground. Contributing factor was the presence and maybe excitement of passenger. Glanced to the altimeter, saw 500 ft and applied power and climbed back to original altitude, 1000 ft AGL. Once on the ground, a police officer approached and asked to review my license and drivers license. He told me I was flying too low, which I agreed with, and that I was inside the santa ana airport class C, which I don't believe. I was 8 1/2 mi from sli VOR. A friend of mine, flight instructor as well, was onboard too, but he was in charge of operating a video camera. Therefore, he was not able to operate the controls or correct my flying. I believe this was a serious mistake on my side. I let the passenger take over my authority/authorized as PIC and put the passenger, myself, and a lot of people on the ground in jeopardy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IN ORDER TO GET A CLOSER VIDEO SHOT OF A 'MARRY ME' SIGN IN FRONT OF ONE OF HIS PAX HOME, THE PLT DSNDED TO 500 FT. A POLICE HELI SPOTTED THE LOW FLYING ACFT AND FOLLOWED IT TO THE ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ON A SIGHTSEEING FLT UNDER PART 91 (TKOF AND LNDG AT SAME ARPT, WITHIN 25 NM). THE PAX REQUESTED TO FLY OVER HIS HOUSE TO SHOW HIS GIRLFRIEND THE SIGN WITH WHICH HE INTENDED TO PROPOSE TO HER. WHILE LOOKING AT THE SIGN, INADVERTENTLY I DROPPED BELOW 1000 FT TO ABOUT 500 FT. ONCE I REALIZED MY MISTAKE I REGAINED MY ALT ASAP, BUT NOT BEFORE A POLICE HELI COULD SPOT ME AND FOLLOW TO THE ARPT. THE PROB AROSE BY THE FACT I WAS DISTR LOOKING FOR THE SIGN ON THE GND. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PRESENCE AND MAYBE EXCITEMENT OF PAX. GLANCED TO THE ALTIMETER, SAW 500 FT AND APPLIED PWR AND CLBED BACK TO ORIGINAL ALT, 1000 FT AGL. ONCE ON THE GND, A POLICE OFFICER APCHED AND ASKED TO REVIEW MY LICENSE AND DRIVERS LICENSE. HE TOLD ME I WAS FLYING TOO LOW, WHICH I AGREED WITH, AND THAT I WAS INSIDE THE SANTA ANA ARPT CLASS C, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE. I WAS 8 1/2 MI FROM SLI VOR. A FRIEND OF MINE, FLT INSTRUCTOR AS WELL, WAS ONBOARD TOO, BUT HE WAS IN CHARGE OF OPERATING A VIDEO CAMERA. THEREFORE, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO OPERATE THE CTLS OR CORRECT MY FLYING. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A SERIOUS MISTAKE ON MY SIDE. I LET THE PAX TAKE OVER MY AUTH AS PIC AND PUT THE PAX, MYSELF, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE GND IN JEOPARDY.

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.