Narrative:

I was acting as a flight instructor with a private pilot that wanted to show his visiting friends the local area. I showed him the procedure for navigation beneath the los angeles TCA in the vicinity of downtown los angeles. We maintained 1600 MSL (with a current altimeter setting) while operating in the 2000-12,500 sector. I instructed my student to steer well clear east of the high rise bldgs of downtown. As we approached dodger stadium I noticed that there was a game in progress and maintained 1600 MSL. I am unsure of the elevation around the area and may have been below 1000 AGL at some time in the turn. I then instructed the student to depart the area to the southwest towards the setting sun. The student then told me that a helicopter (spc Y) passed below us. When arriving over century city we began our climb to 3500 MSL. At that time, we heard a pilot reporting a low level aircraft at 800', and our tail number was given to the controller. After some questioning by me I was advised to telephone the tower. When I later called the tower he said a helicopter flown by the los angeles police said that our aircraft had been flying at 800' MSL in the downtown area. I later spoke with the officer by telephone and described the event and the true altitude but with some disagreement. At the end of our discussion he said that he would nt pursue the matter.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POLICE HELICOPTER PLT OBSERVES LIGHT SINGLE ENGINE ACFT FLYING BELOW LEGAL ALT REQUIREMENT IN BUILT UP AREA.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS A FLT INSTRUCTOR WITH A PRIVATE PLT THAT WANTED TO SHOW HIS VISITING FRIENDS THE LOCAL AREA. I SHOWED HIM THE PROC FOR NAVIGATION BENEATH THE LOS ANGELES TCA IN THE VICINITY OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. WE MAINTAINED 1600 MSL (WITH A CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING) WHILE OPERATING IN THE 2000-12,500 SECTOR. I INSTRUCTED MY STUDENT TO STEER WELL CLEAR E OF THE HIGH RISE BLDGS OF DOWNTOWN. AS WE APCHED DODGER STADIUM I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A GAME IN PROGRESS AND MAINTAINED 1600 MSL. I AM UNSURE OF THE ELEVATION AROUND THE AREA AND MAY HAVE BEEN BELOW 1000 AGL AT SOME TIME IN THE TURN. I THEN INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO DEPART THE AREA TO THE SW TOWARDS THE SETTING SUN. THE STUDENT THEN TOLD ME THAT A HELI (SPC Y) PASSED BELOW US. WHEN ARRIVING OVER CENTURY CITY WE BEGAN OUR CLIMB TO 3500 MSL. AT THAT TIME, WE HEARD A PLT REPORTING A LOW LEVEL ACFT AT 800', AND OUR TAIL NUMBER WAS GIVEN TO THE CTLR. AFTER SOME QUESTIONING BY ME I WAS ADVISED TO TELEPHONE THE TWR. WHEN I LATER CALLED THE TWR HE SAID A HELI FLOWN BY THE LOS ANGELES POLICE SAID THAT OUR ACFT HAD BEEN FLYING AT 800' MSL IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. I LATER SPOKE WITH THE OFFICER BY TELEPHONE AND DESCRIBED THE EVENT AND THE TRUE ALT BUT WITH SOME DISAGREEMENT. AT THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION HE SAID THAT HE WOULD NT PURSUE THE MATTER.

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.