YAK52 pilot inadvertently flies below minimum AGL altitude due to obstruction in pitot static system...

Attributes
ACN	617929
Time
Date	200405
Day	Fri
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mer.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level ground : parked
Route In Use	arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	617929
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Insect lodged in pitot static system causing erroneous altitude readings. May have inadvertently flown lower than legal. Found insect in system, removed. System then operated normally.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: YAK52 PLT INADVERTENTLY FLIES BELOW MINIMUM AGL ALT DUE TO OBSTRUCTION IN PITOT STATIC SYS.

Narrative: INSECT LODGED IN PITOT STATIC SYS CAUSING ERRONEOUS ALT READINGS. MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY FLOWN LOWER THAN LEGAL. FOUND INSECT IN SYS, REMOVED. SYS THEN OPERATED NORMALLY.

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.