Low altitude flight of perhaps less than 500 ft AGL by a C172 ATP pilot 20 northeast of pia, il.

Attributes
ACN	580972
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pia.vortac
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 450 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9600 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	580972
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : obs 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

En route from airport 3MY to airport C77, I elected to fly over an area north of the town of washington, il, so as to let friends I had been visiting earlier see the aircraft, which I was plting. I am quite familiar with this location, and it could best be described as rural or uncongested. Excellent VFR WX prevailed, and with absolute certainty that obstacles were not a factor, I made a single fly-over pass, and then continued on to my destination. I thought nothing further of the event until later when informed by my friends I appeared lower than 500 ft AGL. I cannot be certain of this, as I cannot exactly know the terrain ht in that locale, but I did have my altimeter set correctly, and would never intentionally fly below a minimum safe altitude. Absolutely no stunts were performed, and it was simply a fly-over with, perhaps, a momentary and inadvertent descent below minimum safe altitude as defined by far part 91. I was never close to any ground, structures, or persons if I did indeed violate my planned altitude. I am a very conscientious pilot with an impeccable record and have no habits or disposition of doing anything willfully unsafe or in violation of rules. After some reflection, I felt it prudent to file this report as I will keep this event in mind and will take a more conservative approach to any similar type situation in the future. Thank you for your prog.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT FLT OF PERHAPS LESS THAN 500 FT AGL BY A C172 ATP PLT 20 NE OF PIA, IL.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ARPT 3MY TO ARPT C77, I ELECTED TO FLY OVER AN AREA N OF THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON, IL, SO AS TO LET FRIENDS I HAD BEEN VISITING EARLIER SEE THE ACFT, WHICH I WAS PLTING. I AM QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THIS LOCATION, AND IT COULD BEST BE DESCRIBED AS RURAL OR UNCONGESTED. EXCELLENT VFR WX PREVAILED, AND WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT OBSTACLES WERE NOT A FACTOR, I MADE A SINGLE FLY-OVER PASS, AND THEN CONTINUED ON TO MY DEST. I THOUGHT NOTHING FURTHER OF THE EVENT UNTIL LATER WHEN INFORMED BY MY FRIENDS I APPEARED LOWER THAN 500 FT AGL. I CANNOT BE CERTAIN OF THIS, AS I CANNOT EXACTLY KNOW THE TERRAIN HT IN THAT LOCALE, BUT I DID HAVE MY ALTIMETER SET CORRECTLY, AND WOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY FLY BELOW A MINIMUM SAFE ALT. ABSOLUTELY NO STUNTS WERE PERFORMED, AND IT WAS SIMPLY A FLY-OVER WITH, PERHAPS, A MOMENTARY AND INADVERTENT DSCNT BELOW MINIMUM SAFE ALT AS DEFINED BY FAR PART 91. I WAS NEVER CLOSE TO ANY GND, STRUCTURES, OR PERSONS IF I DID INDEED VIOLATE MY PLANNED ALT. I AM A VERY CONSCIENTIOUS PLT WITH AN IMPECCABLE RECORD AND HAVE NO HABITS OR DISPOSITION OF DOING ANYTHING WILLFULLY UNSAFE OR IN VIOLATION OF RULES. AFTER SOME REFLECTION, I FELT IT PRUDENT TO FILE THIS RPT AS I WILL KEEP THIS EVENT IN MIND AND WILL TAKE A MORE CONSERVATIVE APCH TO ANY SIMILAR TYPE SIT IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROG.

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.