Reporter accused of low-level aerobatic flight.

Attributes
ACN	131406
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 1x4
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	131406
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
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	other

Narrative:

After a normal approach to willis gliderport from the east, landing to the west, doing a normal left-hand pattern at 1000' MSL, I made a normal landing and taxied to a stop on the side of this grass strip. No problem was known to exist. An FAA operations inspector approached me and checked my paperwork and the airplane's paperwork which were in order. He stated I was just doing low-level acrobatics southwest of the field at 200' AGL (including a 45 degree bank) and a low pass to the east. He must be mistaken since I had done nothing resembling that, or a low pass to the east, which I also had not done since I had just landed to the west. My personal conclusion is that he saw some other plane resembling the 1 I was flying doing what he thought he saw. This event he described also occurred earlier, when I was working in my office at lantana airport. I don't know what his conclusion was, so I am filing this report even though there is no incident relating to me, except his inquiry. Conclusions relevant to this event: 1) how people on the ground can judge altitude accurately is questionable. 2) how people on the ground can identify a pilot of a low-winged aircraft airworthy (he repeatedly referred to the would-be aerobatic as a 'guy,' and I'm a 'gal.) is questionable. 3) how the FAA can be present uninvited on private property when no violation is known to exist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ACCUSED OF LOW-LEVEL AEROBATIC FLT.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL APCH TO WILLIS GLIDERPORT FROM THE E, LNDG TO THE W, DOING A NORMAL LEFT-HAND PATTERN AT 1000' MSL, I MADE A NORMAL LNDG AND TAXIED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THIS GRASS STRIP. NO PROB WAS KNOWN TO EXIST. AN FAA OPS INSPECTOR APCHED ME AND CHKED MY PAPERWORK AND THE AIRPLANE'S PAPERWORK WHICH WERE IN ORDER. HE STATED I WAS JUST DOING LOW-LEVEL ACROBATICS SW OF THE FIELD AT 200' AGL (INCLUDING A 45 DEG BANK) AND A LOW PASS TO THE E. HE MUST BE MISTAKEN SINCE I HAD DONE NOTHING RESEMBLING THAT, OR A LOW PASS TO THE E, WHICH I ALSO HAD NOT DONE SINCE I HAD JUST LANDED TO THE W. MY PERSONAL CONCLUSION IS THAT HE SAW SOME OTHER PLANE RESEMBLING THE 1 I WAS FLYING DOING WHAT HE THOUGHT HE SAW. THIS EVENT HE DESCRIBED ALSO OCCURRED EARLIER, WHEN I WAS WORKING IN MY OFFICE AT LANTANA ARPT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS CONCLUSION WAS, SO I AM FILING THIS RPT EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO INCIDENT RELATING TO ME, EXCEPT HIS INQUIRY. CONCLUSIONS RELEVANT TO THIS EVENT: 1) HOW PEOPLE ON THE GND CAN JUDGE ALT ACCURATELY IS QUESTIONABLE. 2) HOW PEOPLE ON THE GND CAN IDENT A PLT OF A LOW-WINGED ACFT AIRWORTHY (HE REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO THE WOULD-BE AEROBATIC AS A 'GUY,' AND I'M A 'GAL.) IS QUESTIONABLE. 3) HOW THE FAA CAN BE PRESENT UNINVITED ON PVT PROPERTY WHEN NO VIOLATION IS KNOWN TO EXIST.

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.