Student helicopter pilot gets 'busted' for low flying.

Attributes
ACN	144429
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 270
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	144429
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 60 vertical : 90
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I xed over santa monica airport southbound at 900'. After calling clear south approximately abeam marina city club I descended in helicopter X to 270' along the marina main channel. The descent is necessary in order to cross lax along the shoreline at or below 150'. Abeam the sheriff station I noticed a helicopter Y above me at about my 11:00. To avoid it I made a left descending 180 degree turn to approximately 200'. I proceeded about 1/2 mi nwbnd then turned left 180 degree again back to my original course. I then encountered helicopter Y, passing at my 12:00, about 30 yds above me. As he passed over me I climbed about 50' at which time I observed helicopter Y about 20 yds to my left paralleling me. At this time I identify helicopter Y as a sheriff helicopter, I also received a call from santa monica tower that it was a sheriff helicopter and that they requested that I go back and land at santa monica airport. At santa monica airport the sheriffs looked at my logbook, pilot's license, driver's license, and all the helicopter's papers. I was advised by the sheriffs that they were filing a complaint against me for low, reckless flying. In my opinion, I never broke any laws or altitude restrictions, and feel the close proximity of the sheriff's helicopter endangered my safety as a student helicopter pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT HELICOPTER PLT GETS 'BUSTED' FOR LOW FLYING.

Narrative: I XED OVER SANTA MONICA ARPT SBND AT 900'. AFTER CALLING CLR S APPROX ABEAM MARINA CITY CLUB I DSNDED IN HELI X TO 270' ALONG THE MARINA MAIN CHANNEL. THE DSNT IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO CROSS LAX ALONG THE SHORELINE AT OR BELOW 150'. ABEAM THE SHERIFF STATION I NOTICED A HELI Y ABOVE ME AT ABOUT MY 11:00. TO AVOID IT I MADE A L DSNDING 180 DEG TURN TO APPROX 200'. I PROCEEDED ABOUT 1/2 MI NWBND THEN TURNED L 180 DEG AGAIN BACK TO MY ORIGINAL COURSE. I THEN ENCOUNTERED HELI Y, PASSING AT MY 12:00, ABOUT 30 YDS ABOVE ME. AS HE PASSED OVER ME I CLBED ABOUT 50' AT WHICH TIME I OBSERVED HELI Y ABOUT 20 YDS TO MY L PARALLELING ME. AT THIS TIME I IDENT HELI Y AS A SHERIFF HELI, I ALSO RECEIVED A CALL FROM SANTA MONICA TWR THAT IT WAS A SHERIFF HELI AND THAT THEY REQUESTED THAT I GO BACK AND LAND AT SANTA MONICA ARPT. AT SANTA MONICA ARPT THE SHERIFFS LOOKED AT MY LOGBOOK, PLT'S LICENSE, DRIVER'S LICENSE, AND ALL THE HELI'S PAPERS. I WAS ADVISED BY THE SHERIFFS THAT THEY WERE FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST ME FOR LOW, RECKLESS FLYING. IN MY OPINION, I NEVER BROKE ANY LAWS OR ALT RESTRICTIONS, AND FEEL THE CLOSE PROX OF THE SHERIFF'S HELI ENDANGERED MY SAFETY AS A STUDENT HELI PLT.

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.