Narrative:

I was in the air traffic area of vinland valley airport, a grass and gravel strip located in the country. Due to a large amount of rain the area had received, I proceeded to do 3 fly-bys along the runway to determine the condition of the strip. On my second fly-by, with full flaps and gear down, I initiated a go around as I approached the end of the runway climbing out to pattern altitude where I proceeded to execute one last fly-by to confirm the strip was too wet to land on. Upon return to my home base the tower informed me of someone calling about my flying around the vinland valley airport. As I returned to my hangar a local sheriff officer met me. He stated they had a complaint by a pilot/mechanic on the ground at vinland valley that I had exceeded a 30 degree pitch attitude when I had initiated the go around with full flaps and gear down, which is designated as a aerobatic maneuver, and which in turn would be illegal that close to the ground of this airport. It is my opinion that I never did exceed a 30 degree pitch attitude and it was not my intention to perform any aerobatic maneuver. The sheriff stated he had no problems, but that this person on the ground was dead set on turning my name over to the FAA for being careless and reckless. A lesson to be learned is flyer beware--people qualified and unqualified are watching your every move and will even turn your name over to the authorities even when one is trying to execute safe maneuvers to determine certain situations are safe. I wonder what this person would have done if I had landed and torn off a gear????????

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA REPORTED CARELESS AND RECKLESS FLT WHEN OBSERVED MAKING LOW PASS OVER NON TWR ARPT TO CHECK SURFACE CONDITION.

Narrative: I WAS IN THE ATA OF VINLAND VALLEY ARPT, A GRASS AND GRAVEL STRIP LOCATED IN THE COUNTRY. DUE TO A LARGE AMOUNT OF RAIN THE AREA HAD RECEIVED, I PROCEEDED TO DO 3 FLY-BYS ALONG THE RWY TO DETERMINE THE CONDITION OF THE STRIP. ON MY SECOND FLY-BY, WITH FULL FLAPS AND GEAR DOWN, I INITIATED A GO AROUND AS I APCHED THE END OF THE RWY CLBING OUT TO PATTERN ALT WHERE I PROCEEDED TO EXECUTE ONE LAST FLY-BY TO CONFIRM THE STRIP WAS TOO WET TO LAND ON. UPON RETURN TO MY HOME BASE THE TWR INFORMED ME OF SOMEONE CALLING ABOUT MY FLYING AROUND THE VINLAND VALLEY ARPT. AS I RETURNED TO MY HANGAR A LCL SHERIFF OFFICER MET ME. HE STATED THEY HAD A COMPLAINT BY A PLT/MECH ON THE GND AT VINLAND VALLEY THAT I HAD EXCEEDED A 30 DEG PITCH ATTITUDE WHEN I HAD INITIATED THE GO AROUND WITH FULL FLAPS AND GEAR DOWN, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS A AEROBATIC MANEUVER, AND WHICH IN TURN WOULD BE ILLEGAL THAT CLOSE TO THE GND OF THIS ARPT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT I NEVER DID EXCEED A 30 DEG PITCH ATTITUDE AND IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION TO PERFORM ANY AEROBATIC MANEUVER. THE SHERIFF STATED HE HAD NO PROBS, BUT THAT THIS PERSON ON THE GND WAS DEAD SET ON TURNING MY NAME OVER TO THE FAA FOR BEING CARELESS AND RECKLESS. A LESSON TO BE LEARNED IS FLYER BEWARE--PEOPLE QUALIFIED AND UNQUALIFIED ARE WATCHING YOUR EVERY MOVE AND WILL EVEN TURN YOUR NAME OVER TO THE AUTHORITIES EVEN WHEN ONE IS TRYING TO EXECUTE SAFE MANEUVERS TO DETERMINE CERTAIN SITUATIONS ARE SAFE. I WONDER WHAT THIS PERSON WOULD HAVE DONE IF I HAD LANDED AND TORN OFF A GEAR????????

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.