Small aircraft flight over built up area below 1000' AGL.

Attributes
ACN	145994
Time
Date	199005
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhn
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	145990
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Returning to home airport after practice landing and takeoff at high density airport. WX variable, 4000' ceilings, 10 mi visibility, 500' ceilings and 2-3 mi visibility in rain showers. A huge long cloud with base at 700' MSL (500' AGL) blocked our path to return to home airport (hio). Descended below cloud paying attention to remain clear of clouds in the uncontrolled airspace below 700' AGL. As we passed beneath the cloud, we realized we were below 1000' AGL over congested area. May have thus inadvertently violated far 91.79(B). Squawking 1200, mode C, visible to pdx radar!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLT OVER BUILT UP AREA BELOW 1000' AGL.

Narrative: RETURNING TO HOME ARPT AFTER PRACTICE LNDG AND TKOF AT HIGH DENSITY ARPT. WX VARIABLE, 4000' CEILINGS, 10 MI VISIBILITY, 500' CEILINGS AND 2-3 MI VISIBILITY IN RAIN SHOWERS. A HUGE LONG CLOUD WITH BASE AT 700' MSL (500' AGL) BLOCKED OUR PATH TO RETURN TO HOME ARPT (HIO). DSNDED BELOW CLOUD PAYING ATTN TO REMAIN CLR OF CLOUDS IN THE UNCTLED AIRSPACE BELOW 700' AGL. AS WE PASSED BENEATH THE CLOUD, WE REALIZED WE WERE BELOW 1000' AGL OVER CONGESTED AREA. MAY HAVE THUS INADVERTENTLY VIOLATED FAR 91.79(B). SQUAWKING 1200, MODE C, VISIBLE TO PDX RADAR!

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.