C-172 pilot stalled, at low altitude, while maneuvering over his passenger's house.

Attributes
ACN	585986
Time
Date	200306
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : fim.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
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 : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	585986
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During a sightseeing flight maneuvering over the house of the passenger, I stalled the airplane due to high angle of bank and excessive back pressure on the controls. I recovered immediately, however, my altitude was lower than 1000 ft AGL over a populated area. The general elevation of the area is about 800 ft AGL and my airplane was at 2000-2200 ft MSL. I believe that better preflight planning and not underestimating this 'simple' sightseeing flight could have prevented the embarrassing and dangerous situation. My passenger don't have a lot of aviation experience, so they were really enjoying the flight and didn't realize that the plane was stalled and the stall warning horn was on. They thought that this was normal. In the future, I will spend more time planning the flight, keep higher altitude above the 'deck' (1000 ft AGL), and not allow distraction in the cockpit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C-172 PLT STALLED, AT LOW ALT, WHILE MANEUVERING OVER HIS PAX'S HOUSE.

Narrative: DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLT MANEUVERING OVER THE HOUSE OF THE PAX, I STALLED THE AIRPLANE DUE TO HIGH ANGLE OF BANK AND EXCESSIVE BACK PRESSURE ON THE CTLS. I RECOVERED IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER, MY ALT WAS LOWER THAN 1000 FT AGL OVER A POPULATED AREA. THE GENERAL ELEVATION OF THE AREA IS ABOUT 800 FT AGL AND MY AIRPLANE WAS AT 2000-2200 FT MSL. I BELIEVE THAT BETTER PREFLT PLANNING AND NOT UNDERESTIMATING THIS 'SIMPLE' SIGHTSEEING FLT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE EMBARRASSING AND DANGEROUS SIT. MY PAX DON'T HAVE A LOT OF AVIATION EXPERIENCE, SO THEY WERE REALLY ENJOYING THE FLT AND DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE PLANE WAS STALLED AND THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS ON. THEY THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL SPEND MORE TIME PLANNING THE FLT, KEEP HIGHER ALT ABOVE THE 'DECK' (1000 FT AGL), AND NOT ALLOW DISTR IN THE COCKPIT.

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.