GA small aircraft low flight over national wildlife refuge.

Attributes
ACN	121727
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yum
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 56 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	121727
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other 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:

During my descent for landing at fishers resort, I turned north and made a low pass over the colorado river to look for friends at approximately 700' AGL. After spotting them, I continued my descent to approximately 200' AGL, never getting closer than 500' from any person on the river. During a mild pull-up and a turn south, I climbed up and proceeded south around the town, entered downwind and landed to the west in a normal procedure. After landing, I was confronted by a sheriff to get both my airplane 'north' number and pilots license number. During my low pass, a fish and game employee reported seeing me within 200' of the river and thought this was illegal. I told him about the 500' rule and he admitted not knowing any FAA rules but felt a letter was necessary. I have 12' numbers on my plane and he was unable to see them. I feel that a letter to both the fish and game and sheriff department explaining basic FAA rules would be a positive step to improve relations between pilots and these different agencies.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOW FLT OVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

Narrative: DURING MY DESCENT FOR LNDG AT FISHERS RESORT, I TURNED NORTH AND MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE COLORADO RIVER TO LOOK FOR FRIENDS AT APPROX 700' AGL. AFTER SPOTTING THEM, I CONTINUED MY DESCENT TO APPROX 200' AGL, NEVER GETTING CLOSER THAN 500' FROM ANY PERSON ON THE RIVER. DURING A MILD PULL-UP AND A TURN SOUTH, I CLIMBED UP AND PROCEEDED SOUTH AROUND THE TOWN, ENTERED DOWNWIND AND LANDED TO THE WEST IN A NORMAL PROC. AFTER LNDG, I WAS CONFRONTED BY A SHERIFF TO GET BOTH MY AIRPLANE 'N' NUMBER AND PLTS LICENSE NUMBER. DURING MY LOW PASS, A FISH AND GAME EMPLOYEE REPORTED SEEING ME WITHIN 200' OF THE RIVER AND THOUGHT THIS WAS ILLEGAL. I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE 500' RULE AND HE ADMITTED NOT KNOWING ANY FAA RULES BUT FELT A LETTER WAS NECESSARY. I HAVE 12' NUMBERS ON MY PLANE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THEM. I FEEL THAT A LETTER TO BOTH THE FISH AND GAME AND SHERIFF DEPT EXPLAINING BASIC FAA RULES WOULD BE A POSITIVE STEP TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN PLTS AND THESE DIFFERENT AGENCIES.

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.