Pilot of a C182 descended below the MSA while circling over an area taking photos. The reporter rega...

Attributes
ACN	426940
Time
Date	199901
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lna
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	426940
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While circling at 1000 ft AGL for the purposes of photographing a place of business at the above location, an occupant of the aircraft requested a vomit bag. While reaching into the pouch(es) behind the 2 front seats, while at the same time continuing to circle for the photographer, the aircraft descended below the minimum altitude required for flight over congested areas by approximately 300 ft. We were being handled by pbi local at this time, even though we were not in their class C airspace. I gave them a courtesy call (first palm beach approach control on frequency 125.2 and then pbi tower on 119.1) so they would know who was circling just outside their airspace. We were assigned a discrete squawk and our mode C was operative. Upon noting the low altitude, we climbed back up to 1000 ft AGL, finished the photo shoot, advised pbi local that we were departing the location. No comments regarding our low altitude were received by them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C182 DSNDED BELOW THE MSA WHILE CIRCLING OVER AN AREA TAKING PHOTOS. THE RPTR REGAINED ALT AT ONCE AFTER RECOGNIZING HIS ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE CIRCLING AT 1000 FT AGL FOR THE PURPOSES OF PHOTOGRAPHING A PLACE OF BUSINESS AT THE ABOVE LOCATION, AN OCCUPANT OF THE ACFT REQUESTED A VOMIT BAG. WHILE REACHING INTO THE POUCH(ES) BEHIND THE 2 FRONT SEATS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CONTINUING TO CIRCLE FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER, THE ACFT DSNDED BELOW THE MINIMUM ALT REQUIRED FOR FLT OVER CONGESTED AREAS BY APPROX 300 FT. WE WERE BEING HANDLED BY PBI LCL AT THIS TIME, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NOT IN THEIR CLASS C AIRSPACE. I GAVE THEM A COURTESY CALL (FIRST PALM BEACH APCH CTL ON FREQ 125.2 AND THEN PBI TWR ON 119.1) SO THEY WOULD KNOW WHO WAS CIRCLING JUST OUTSIDE THEIR AIRSPACE. WE WERE ASSIGNED A DISCRETE SQUAWK AND OUR MODE C WAS OPERATIVE. UPON NOTING THE LOW ALT, WE CLBED BACK UP TO 1000 FT AGL, FINISHED THE PHOTO SHOOT, ADVISED PBI LCL THAT WE WERE DEPARTING THE LOCATION. NO COMMENTS REGARDING OUR LOW ALT WERE RECEIVED BY THEM.

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.

Pilot of a C182 descended below the MSA while circling over an area taking photos. The reporter regained altitude at once after recognizing his error.