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Small aircraft vintage biplane deviates from normal traffic pattern at uncontrolled airport and then flies at low altitude over open field adjacent to airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 127981 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198911 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : tx05 |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 10 agl bound upper : 100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff cruise other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 128791 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other other |
Narrative:
Background: am part owner in bi-plane with 3 other fellow airline pilots. On day in question was departing southbound from grass portion of field. Small uncontrolled airport with tree line on east side of runway and hangars and houses on west side. East of tree line is large, plowed open field. On departure, at approximately 100' AGL, made a level turn (approximately 40-50 degree bank) to clear tree line, then descended to 10-15' over open field east of airport. One of the tenants at the airport described to one of my partners that they observed me execute a 'hammerhead' on takeoff, and thought I was 'going to crash.' first of all, anyone with any knowledge of a 225 hp small aircraft at 80 mph and 100' would know that the above-mentioned maneuver would result in a crash no matter who the pilot was. The tenant also mentioned that I had 'better be careful because flying below 500' like that was illegal.' I realize that there is much confusion over the altitude rule (even callback), and this may have started this person's exaggerations. The lesson learned from this is that, even though you may be 'legal,' how other people view your actions is what may be important. Luckily, I had a passenger with me who, although is not a pilot, can describe the event. Otherwise, it could turn out to be my work against his. With the current (and very disturbing) FAA attitude of guilty until proven innocent I think I will leave my low level flying to 'deserted areas.'
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA VINTAGE BIPLANE DEVIATES FROM NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT AND THEN FLIES AT LOW ALT OVER OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO ARPT.
Narrative: BACKGROUND: AM PART OWNER IN BI-PLANE WITH 3 OTHER FELLOW AIRLINE PLTS. ON DAY IN QUESTION WAS DEPARTING SBND FROM GRASS PORTION OF FIELD. SMALL UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITH TREE LINE ON E SIDE OF RWY AND HANGARS AND HOUSES ON W SIDE. E OF TREE LINE IS LARGE, PLOWED OPEN FIELD. ON DEP, AT APPROX 100' AGL, MADE A LEVEL TURN (APPROX 40-50 DEG BANK) TO CLR TREE LINE, THEN DSNDED TO 10-15' OVER OPEN FIELD E OF ARPT. ONE OF THE TENANTS AT THE ARPT DESCRIBED TO ONE OF MY PARTNERS THAT THEY OBSERVED ME EXECUTE A 'HAMMERHEAD' ON TKOF, AND THOUGHT I WAS 'GOING TO CRASH.' FIRST OF ALL, ANYONE WITH ANY KNOWLEDGE OF A 225 HP SMA AT 80 MPH AND 100' WOULD KNOW THAT THE ABOVE-MENTIONED MANEUVER WOULD RESULT IN A CRASH NO MATTER WHO THE PLT WAS. THE TENANT ALSO MENTIONED THAT I HAD 'BETTER BE CAREFUL BECAUSE FLYING BELOW 500' LIKE THAT WAS ILLEGAL.' I REALIZE THAT THERE IS MUCH CONFUSION OVER THE ALT RULE (EVEN CALLBACK), AND THIS MAY HAVE STARTED THIS PERSON'S EXAGGERATIONS. THE LESSON LEARNED FROM THIS IS THAT, EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY BE 'LEGAL,' HOW OTHER PEOPLE VIEW YOUR ACTIONS IS WHAT MAY BE IMPORTANT. LUCKILY, I HAD A PAX WITH ME WHO, ALTHOUGH IS NOT A PLT, CAN DESCRIBE THE EVENT. OTHERWISE, IT COULD TURN OUT TO BE MY WORK AGAINST HIS. WITH THE CURRENT (AND VERY DISTURBING) FAA ATTITUDE OF GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT I THINK I WILL LEAVE MY LOW LEVEL FLYING TO 'DESERTED AREAS.'
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.