Narrative:

The event that occurred is just a plain case of not complying with far 91.79(B). I was conducting a photo flight in the school's small aircraft and was asked to fly over a point (a building under construction) 3 NM nne of meigs field. Had clearance per cgk tower, but certainly not per FARS. I was at one point sandwiched between the abc bldg and the def bldg at 2000 MSL (although sometimes a little lower). This was due to a very gusty day. A front was quickly approaching, the altimeter had been dropping an average of .03/hour, and there had been reports of windshear on final approach at both mdw and ord airports (I heard by listening on their frequencys while transiting the area). My conflict here is simply this: I came too close to these bldgs both horizontally and vertically (we are allowed 2000' and 1000' respectively that was way too close for comfort. The strong southwest wind did not aid this situation in any way. As far as my decision to fly in this close proximity I did decide to do it yet thought I would be safe in doing so. Correction actions? A) do what is right. I knew ahead of time it was wrong yet I did it anyway. B) don't be pushed or 'sweetly persuaded' to do something that is illegal (the photographer has a business, yet so do I!). 3) practice ground reference maneuvers more often. I got 'blown' the 'wrong way' towards those high bldgs. According to the chicago area TCA chart those bldgs are 2049 MSL and 2036 MSL high.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOW FLT OVER POPULATED AREA.

Narrative: THE EVENT THAT OCCURRED IS JUST A PLAIN CASE OF NOT COMPLYING WITH FAR 91.79(B). I WAS CONDUCTING A PHOTO FLT IN THE SCHOOL'S SMA AND WAS ASKED TO FLY OVER A POINT (A BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION) 3 NM NNE OF MEIGS FIELD. HAD CLRNC PER CGK TWR, BUT CERTAINLY NOT PER FARS. I WAS AT ONE POINT SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE ABC BLDG AND THE DEF BLDG AT 2000 MSL (ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES A LITTLE LOWER). THIS WAS DUE TO A VERY GUSTY DAY. A FRONT WAS QUICKLY APCHING, THE ALTIMETER HAD BEEN DROPPING AN AVERAGE OF .03/HR, AND THERE HAD BEEN REPORTS OF WINDSHEAR ON FINAL APCH AT BOTH MDW AND ORD ARPTS (I HEARD BY LISTENING ON THEIR FREQS WHILE TRANSITING THE AREA). MY CONFLICT HERE IS SIMPLY THIS: I CAME TOO CLOSE TO THESE BLDGS BOTH HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY (WE ARE ALLOWED 2000' AND 1000' RESPECTIVELY THAT WAS WAY TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. THE STRONG SW WIND DID NOT AID THIS SITUATION IN ANY WAY. AS FAR AS MY DECISION TO FLY IN THIS CLOSE PROX I DID DECIDE TO DO IT YET THOUGHT I WOULD BE SAFE IN DOING SO. CORRECTION ACTIONS? A) DO WHAT IS RIGHT. I KNEW AHEAD OF TIME IT WAS WRONG YET I DID IT ANYWAY. B) DON'T BE PUSHED OR 'SWEETLY PERSUADED' TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS ILLEGAL (THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAS A BUSINESS, YET SO DO I!). 3) PRACTICE GND REFERENCE MANEUVERS MORE OFTEN. I GOT 'BLOWN' THE 'WRONG WAY' TOWARDS THOSE HIGH BLDGS. ACCORDING TO THE CHICAGO AREA TCA CHART THOSE BLDGS ARE 2049 MSL AND 2036 MSL HIGH.

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.