Piper PA18 pilot flew over her house below the MSA and was subsequently intercepted by law enforceme...

Attributes
ACN	543315
Time
Date	200204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sgj.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-18/19 Super Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	543315
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At approximately XA30 on apr/xa/02, I was flying my PA18/150 super cub from sgj airport (where I am based) to evb. On the way, I flew over my house and circled it once or twice. I know that flight rules require I be at 1000 ft AGL or above. I flew over the house at 1000 ft, but admittedly may have descended below that altitude during a moment or two of inattn. After I left my neighborhood, I flew south along the shoreline, just offshore, when I saw a helicopter coming the other way. I was still on unicom frequency for st augustine (122.8) when the helicopter contacted and followed me (he turned into me). He asked me what I was doing 'flying so low' around 11TH street. I replied I was flying at 1000 ft AGL, but might have gone below that inadvertently. He asked me a number of other questions -- where I was based, etc, and apparently called the st augustine airport later asking about me. Frankly, the helicopter 'escort' was rather bizarre. I was told by the manager of the FBO that the pilot was not, as he said, with the st john's county sheriff's department, but indeed a fish and wildlife officer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA18 PLT FLEW OVER HER HOUSE BELOW THE MSA AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INTERCEPTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI AND QUESTIONED REGARDING HER LOW FLT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 ON APR/XA/02, I WAS FLYING MY PA18/150 SUPER CUB FROM SGJ ARPT (WHERE I AM BASED) TO EVB. ON THE WAY, I FLEW OVER MY HOUSE AND CIRCLED IT ONCE OR TWICE. I KNOW THAT FLT RULES REQUIRE I BE AT 1000 FT AGL OR ABOVE. I FLEW OVER THE HOUSE AT 1000 FT, BUT ADMITTEDLY MAY HAVE DSNDED BELOW THAT ALT DURING A MOMENT OR TWO OF INATTN. AFTER I LEFT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I FLEW S ALONG THE SHORELINE, JUST OFFSHORE, WHEN I SAW A HELI COMING THE OTHER WAY. I WAS STILL ON UNICOM FREQ FOR ST AUGUSTINE (122.8) WHEN THE HELI CONTACTED AND FOLLOWED ME (HE TURNED INTO ME). HE ASKED ME WHAT I WAS DOING 'FLYING SO LOW' AROUND 11TH STREET. I REPLIED I WAS FLYING AT 1000 FT AGL, BUT MIGHT HAVE GONE BELOW THAT INADVERTENTLY. HE ASKED ME A NUMBER OF OTHER QUESTIONS -- WHERE I WAS BASED, ETC, AND APPARENTLY CALLED THE ST AUGUSTINE ARPT LATER ASKING ABOUT ME. FRANKLY, THE HELI 'ESCORT' WAS RATHER BIZARRE. I WAS TOLD BY THE MGR OF THE FBO THAT THE PLT WAS NOT, AS HE SAID, WITH THE ST JOHN'S COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT, BUT INDEED A FISH AND WILDLIFE OFFICER.

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.

Piper PA18 pilot flew over her house below the MSA and was subsequently intercepted by law enforcement helicopter and questioned regarding her low flight.