Large transport pilot accused of low flight over town.

Attributes
ACN	119433
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rap
State Reference	SD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4300 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rap
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	119433
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On IFR flight plan from ewr to rap a descent was initiated approximately 130 NM east of rapid city. While passing through 11000' MSL a request for a heading to sturgis, sd, was asked for. Approach control gave a heading from our present course of 300 degrees, and a descent to 8000'. At approximately 15 mi from the sturgis airport a request for a VFR descent was asked for. IFR flight plane was terminated and descent to 4300' MSL was made. Over sturgis airport a turn to a heading of approximately 280 degrees was initiated, along with a climb to 5000'. At this point the aircraft was flown over the town of sturgis in a 30 degree bank turn to the north. Re-contact with approach control was initiated, and an uneventful landing at rapid city was accomplished. Upon arrival at rapid city airport, I was confronted with the accusation of buzzing the town of sturgis by one of the local police officers. This is, in fact, not true. I believe his perception of what altitude we were at was misrepresented to him by the size of our aircraft, and the speed (approximately 190 KTS) at which we flew over the town. I believe accusations of this matter should be verified by aircraft flight recorders and/or ground based radar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT PLT ACCUSED OF LOW FLT OVER TOWN.

Narrative: ON IFR FLT PLAN FROM EWR TO RAP A DSCNT WAS INITIATED APPROX 130 NM E OF RAPID CITY. WHILE PASSING THROUGH 11000' MSL A REQUEST FOR A HDG TO STURGIS, SD, WAS ASKED FOR. APCH CTL GAVE A HDG FROM OUR PRESENT COURSE OF 300 DEGS, AND A DSCNT TO 8000'. AT APPROX 15 MI FROM THE STURGIS ARPT A REQUEST FOR A VFR DSCNT WAS ASKED FOR. IFR FLT PLANE WAS TERMINATED AND DSCNT TO 4300' MSL WAS MADE. OVER STURGIS ARPT A TURN TO A HDG OF APPROX 280 DEGS WAS INITIATED, ALONG WITH A CLB TO 5000'. AT THIS POINT THE ACFT WAS FLOWN OVER THE TOWN OF STURGIS IN A 30 DEG BANK TURN TO THE N. RE-CONTACT WITH APCH CTL WAS INITIATED, AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT RAPID CITY WAS ACCOMPLISHED. UPON ARR AT RAPID CITY ARPT, I WAS CONFRONTED WITH THE ACCUSATION OF BUZZING THE TOWN OF STURGIS BY ONE OF THE LCL POLICE OFFICERS. THIS IS, IN FACT, NOT TRUE. I BELIEVE HIS PERCEPTION OF WHAT ALT WE WERE AT WAS MISREPRESENTED TO HIM BY THE SIZE OF OUR ACFT, AND THE SPD (APPROX 190 KTS) AT WHICH WE FLEW OVER THE TOWN. I BELIEVE ACCUSATIONS OF THIS MATTER SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY ACFT FLT RECORDERS AND/OR GND BASED RADAR.

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.