A hughes 269B pilot on an agricultural mission flew too close to persons on the ground.

Attributes
ACN	700536
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : psc.vor
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Model 269A/300/Osage
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2350 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	700536
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was called to perform an agricultural service with my helicopter flying very low and slow over an orchard. I was told to start at the northwest corner because there were no workers in that area of the orchard and the workers in the other area of the orchard would leave the orchard when I showed up. I flew once over the orchard so they knew I was there and proceeded to start at the northwest corner. After a short while I came upon workers in the orchard who had not left. Apparently they hadn't been told to leave when I showed up. The trees hid the workers until I came upon them. As soon as I saw them I backed away. I went to another part of the orchard believing that certainly it should be clear and it wasn't. I probably should have asked the owner how long it would take to clear the orchard rather than believing these workers would immediately leave the orchard.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HUGHES 269B PLT ON AN AGRICULTURAL MISSION FLEW TOO CLOSE TO PERSONS ON THE GND.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED TO PERFORM AN AGRICULTURAL SVC WITH MY HELI FLYING VERY LOW AND SLOW OVER AN ORCHARD. I WAS TOLD TO START AT THE NW CORNER BECAUSE THERE WERE NO WORKERS IN THAT AREA OF THE ORCHARD AND THE WORKERS IN THE OTHER AREA OF THE ORCHARD WOULD LEAVE THE ORCHARD WHEN I SHOWED UP. I FLEW ONCE OVER THE ORCHARD SO THEY KNEW I WAS THERE AND PROCEEDED TO START AT THE NW CORNER. AFTER A SHORT WHILE I CAME UPON WORKERS IN THE ORCHARD WHO HAD NOT LEFT. APPARENTLY THEY HADN'T BEEN TOLD TO LEAVE WHEN I SHOWED UP. THE TREES HID THE WORKERS UNTIL I CAME UPON THEM. AS SOON AS I SAW THEM I BACKED AWAY. I WENT TO ANOTHER PART OF THE ORCHARD BELIEVING THAT CERTAINLY IT SHOULD BE CLEAR AND IT WASN'T. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE OWNER HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO CLEAR THE ORCHARD RATHER THAN BELIEVING THESE WORKERS WOULD IMMEDIATELY LEAVE THE ORCHARD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.