Narrative:

I departed L00 at approximately pm:30 june sat, 1990, for return to home base ccb. I was flying an small transport. The elevation of L00 is 2415' with an air temperature of 100 degrees F and a density altitude of 5700'. I have been experiencing some oil leaking and high cylinder head temperatures on a '0' time left engine with 150 hours approximately. I was flying with suggested procedures on engine setting and was to report finding to overhaul station. As I departed L00 I noticed the left engine cylinder head temperature and oil temperature rising at a faster than normal rate. After a few seconds of observing this condition I elected to level off and reduce power on left engine to 10' manifold pressure. I departed straight out (heading approximately 255 degrees) and airspeed remained above blue line. The engine returned to below normal temperature and all other indications showed no major problems. I increased power on left and right engines to cruise/climb setting approximately 23' manifold pressure and 2300 RPM while maintaining level flight. I observed no abnormal engine instrument readings and initiated a slow climbing left turn south. At this time I noticed I had overflown the willow springs raceway which was in my direct line of flight approximately 1 mi west of L00. Due to my preoccupation with the left engine problem I had, I cannot honestly say I knew what my exact altitude was at the time I passed over the track. After departing L00 my main concern was to handle the problem at hand and have sufficient altitude and airspeed to clear any obstacles in my flight path in this 'extremely scarcely populated' desert area. The following week I was contacted by an individual who suggested I had flown over the race track below minimum altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DEP SMT EXPERIENCING HIGHER THAN NORMAL CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURES ON A VERY HOT DAY IS ACCUSED OF LOW FLT OVER A RACEWAY AS HE DEALS WITH HIS ONE PROBLEM ENGINE WHICH IS BEING OPERATED UNDER REDUCED POWER.

Narrative: I DEPARTED L00 AT APPROX PM:30 JUNE SAT, 1990, FOR RETURN TO HOME BASE CCB. I WAS FLYING AN SMT. THE ELEVATION OF L00 IS 2415' WITH AN AIR TEMP OF 100 DEGS F AND A DENSITY ALT OF 5700'. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME OIL LEAKING AND HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPS ON A '0' TIME L ENG WITH 150 HRS APPROX. I WAS FLYING WITH SUGGESTED PROCS ON ENG SETTING AND WAS TO RPT FINDING TO OVERHAUL STATION. AS I DEPARTED L00 I NOTICED THE L ENG CYLINDER HEAD TEMP AND OIL TEMP RISING AT A FASTER THAN NORMAL RATE. AFTER A FEW SECS OF OBSERVING THIS CONDITION I ELECTED TO LEVEL OFF AND REDUCE PWR ON L ENG TO 10' MANIFOLD PRESSURE. I DEPARTED STRAIGHT OUT (HDG APPROX 255 DEGS) AND AIRSPD REMAINED ABOVE BLUE LINE. THE ENG RETURNED TO BELOW NORMAL TEMP AND ALL OTHER INDICATIONS SHOWED NO MAJOR PROBS. I INCREASED PWR ON L AND R ENGS TO CRUISE/CLB SETTING APPROX 23' MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND 2300 RPM WHILE MAINTAINING LEVEL FLT. I OBSERVED NO ABNORMAL ENG INSTRUMENT READINGS AND INITIATED A SLOW CLBING L TURN S. AT THIS TIME I NOTICED I HAD OVERFLOWN THE WILLOW SPRINGS RACEWAY WHICH WAS IN MY DIRECT LINE OF FLT APPROX 1 MI W OF L00. DUE TO MY PREOCCUPATION WITH THE L ENG PROB I HAD, I CANNOT HONESTLY SAY I KNEW WHAT MY EXACT ALT WAS AT THE TIME I PASSED OVER THE TRACK. AFTER DEPARTING L00 MY MAIN CONCERN WAS TO HANDLE THE PROB AT HAND AND HAVE SUFFICIENT ALT AND AIRSPD TO CLR ANY OBSTACLES IN MY FLT PATH IN THIS 'EXTREMELY SCARCELY POPULATED' DESERT AREA. THE FOLLOWING WK I WAS CONTACTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL WHO SUGGESTED I HAD FLOWN OVER THE RACE TRACK BELOW MINIMUM ALT.

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.