Military fgt reported for low flight maneuver over built up area.

Attributes
ACN	90746
Time
Date	198807
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Fighter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : military
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1250
ASRS Report	90746
Person 2
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After switching from ZOB to pgh approach control, I requested to cancel IFR and operate VFR below the pgh TCA. This was approved and I was asked if I would like flight following, to which I said, 'yes.' I operated my navy fgt over southeast pittsburgh, worked my way west and continued to upper saint clair and mount lebanon. Over my personal residence in upper saint clair, I turned right and performed a tight turn again over my home. After passing over the house a second time, I turned left, contacted approach and asked for vectors to the overhead pattern. The entire time I operated VFR. My altitude was always between 2500-3000' MSL. In addition, my IFF was set at 1200' (VFR) and my radar altimeter was at 1100', which never went off. I have been alleged to have been flying in a dangerously low altitude in the south hills area. I have 16 yrs military service, approximately 1250 hours in the fgt aircraft and am currently an air carrier large transport captain. I believe the terrain of this area may have given the illusion to ground observers that I was lower than I actually was.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FGT REPORTED FOR LOW FLT MANEUVER OVER BUILT UP AREA.

Narrative: AFTER SWITCHING FROM ZOB TO PGH APCH CTL, I REQUESTED TO CANCEL IFR AND OPERATE VFR BELOW THE PGH TCA. THIS WAS APPROVED AND I WAS ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE FLT FOLLOWING, TO WHICH I SAID, 'YES.' I OPERATED MY NAVY FGT OVER SE PITTSBURGH, WORKED MY WAY W AND CONTINUED TO UPPER SAINT CLAIR AND MOUNT LEBANON. OVER MY PERSONAL RESIDENCE IN UPPER SAINT CLAIR, I TURNED R AND PERFORMED A TIGHT TURN AGAIN OVER MY HOME. AFTER PASSING OVER THE HOUSE A SECOND TIME, I TURNED L, CONTACTED APCH AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE OVERHEAD PATTERN. THE ENTIRE TIME I OPERATED VFR. MY ALT WAS ALWAYS BTWN 2500-3000' MSL. IN ADDITION, MY IFF WAS SET AT 1200' (VFR) AND MY RADAR ALTIMETER WAS AT 1100', WHICH NEVER WENT OFF. I HAVE BEEN ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN FLYING IN A DANGEROUSLY LOW ALT IN THE SOUTH HILLS AREA. I HAVE 16 YRS MIL SVC, APPROX 1250 HRS IN THE FGT ACFT AND AM CURRENTLY AN ACR LGT CAPT. I BELIEVE THE TERRAIN OF THIS AREA MAY HAVE GIVEN THE ILLUSION TO GND OBSERVERS THAT I WAS LOWER THAN I ACTUALLY WAS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.