Pilot doing 'practice' flour bomb drop. One bomb lands outside campus on road.

Attributes
ACN	143598
Time
Date	199004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1280
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	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 260 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	143598
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Practicing flour bombing over college football field (3 bags each weighing 3-6 oz) winds aloft turned out to be 20-30 KTS causing one bag to land off campus, on soft shoulder of road. This practicing was for a fund raiser for the athletic department. In my opinion, I was not in any violation of far's. The college was aware of the events. The parking lot's athletic field were empty. In my judgement planning I did not allow for the strong winds, and I stopped after one landed off campus. My altitude was always above 1200' AGL, with the highest area being about 100-120'. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter states that an FAA representative called him about 10 days after the incident to request information. He said was not sure if there would be any further action. This was a 'test' flight to see about the feasibility of such an activity for a fund raiser for the college. Immediately stopped when pilot discovered the wind had carried the flour bomb outside the campus. Analyst counseled regarding future procedures of contacting FAA 'before' any unusual activity.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DOING 'PRACTICE' FLOUR BOMB DROP. ONE BOMB LANDS OUTSIDE CAMPUS ON ROAD.

Narrative: PRACTICING FLOUR BOMBING OVER COLLEGE FOOTBALL FIELD (3 BAGS EACH WEIGHING 3-6 OZ) WINDS ALOFT TURNED OUT TO BE 20-30 KTS CAUSING ONE BAG TO LAND OFF CAMPUS, ON SOFT SHOULDER OF ROAD. THIS PRACTICING WAS FOR A FUND RAISER FOR THE ATHLETIC DEPT. IN MY OPINION, I WAS NOT IN ANY VIOLATION OF FAR'S. THE COLLEGE WAS AWARE OF THE EVENTS. THE PARKING LOT'S ATHLETIC FIELD WERE EMPTY. IN MY JUDGEMENT PLANNING I DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE STRONG WINDS, AND I STOPPED AFTER ONE LANDED OFF CAMPUS. MY ALT WAS ALWAYS ABOVE 1200' AGL, WITH THE HIGHEST AREA BEING ABOUT 100-120'. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATES THAT AN FAA REPRESENTATIVE CALLED HIM ABOUT 10 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT TO REQUEST INFO. HE SAID WAS NOT SURE IF THERE WOULD BE ANY FURTHER ACTION. THIS WAS A 'TEST' FLT TO SEE ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF SUCH AN ACTIVITY FOR A FUND RAISER FOR THE COLLEGE. IMMEDIATELY STOPPED WHEN PLT DISCOVERED THE WIND HAD CARRIED THE FLOUR BOMB OUTSIDE THE CAMPUS. ANALYST COUNSELED REGARDING FUTURE PROCS OF CONTACTING FAA 'BEFORE' ANY UNUSUAL ACTIVITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.