Narrative:

I flew out of rhv to practice the commercial maneuvers up over the mountains in the northeast. I did a series of chandelles up to a high altitude. I then practiced a spiraling descent down over calaveras reservoir out of the way of any houses. It can be noted that I practiced these maneuvers in the same place at the same altitude with my instrument the week before. I descended down to 1000' AGL and then practiced on engine out landing pattern. I aborted the practice engine-out situation 200' above the dry lake bed. I began a climb to the north and had to maneuver to stay well clear of 2 other aircraft transiting the area as I climbed through approximately 1000' AGL. I wanted to show my passenger (non pilot) the windmills on the altamont, so we kept our northeast heading and 1500' AGL. In the vicinity of san antonio reservoir we were intercepted by a black and white helicopter which shadowed my every move. After 5 mins I called him on 122.75. He had me change to 123.05 and informed me in a very unhappy voice that I was violating a 2000' AGL restriction over the whole calaveras area, which was designed to protect birds and watershed areas. It is not marked on the map and I had never heard of it. My friends and other instrs I know from rhv all operate at times in that area below 2000' AGL. Obviously, the other aircraft I saw in the area had not heard that before either. After I finished talking to him (he idented himself as 'chp' and wanted to know my home base (rhv) and school (sjsu), and he said he was going to report my aircraft to the FAA, another pilot came on the air and started arguing with him about the issue. I just returned to rhv, about 2000' AGL. I think such a restriction should be on the map to be enforceable or be sent out to pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER PATROL ACFT INTERCEPTS SMA PRACTICING FORCED LNDG IN WILDLIFE REFUGE.

Narrative: I FLEW OUT OF RHV TO PRACTICE THE COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS UP OVER THE MOUNTAINS IN THE NE. I DID A SERIES OF CHANDELLES UP TO A HIGH ALT. I THEN PRACTICED A SPIRALING DSNT DOWN OVER CALAVERAS RESERVOIR OUT OF THE WAY OF ANY HOUSES. IT CAN BE NOTED THAT I PRACTICED THESE MANEUVERS IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME ALT WITH MY INSTR THE WEEK BEFORE. I DSNDED DOWN TO 1000' AGL AND THEN PRACTICED ON ENG OUT LNDG PATTERN. I ABORTED THE PRACTICE ENG-OUT SITUATION 200' ABOVE THE DRY LAKE BED. I BEGAN A CLB TO THE N AND HAD TO MANEUVER TO STAY WELL CLR OF 2 OTHER ACFT TRANSITING THE AREA AS I CLBED THROUGH APPROX 1000' AGL. I WANTED TO SHOW MY PAX (NON PLT) THE WINDMILLS ON THE ALTAMONT, SO WE KEPT OUR NE HDG AND 1500' AGL. IN THE VICINITY OF SAN ANTONIO RESERVOIR WE WERE INTERCEPTED BY A BLACK AND WHITE HELI WHICH SHADOWED MY EVERY MOVE. AFTER 5 MINS I CALLED HIM ON 122.75. HE HAD ME CHANGE TO 123.05 AND INFORMED ME IN A VERY UNHAPPY VOICE THAT I WAS VIOLATING A 2000' AGL RESTRICTION OVER THE WHOLE CALAVERAS AREA, WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT BIRDS AND WATERSHED AREAS. IT IS NOT MARKED ON THE MAP AND I HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. MY FRIENDS AND OTHER INSTRS I KNOW FROM RHV ALL OPERATE AT TIMES IN THAT AREA BELOW 2000' AGL. OBVIOUSLY, THE OTHER ACFT I SAW IN THE AREA HAD NOT HEARD THAT BEFORE EITHER. AFTER I FINISHED TALKING TO HIM (HE IDENTED HIMSELF AS 'CHP' AND WANTED TO KNOW MY HOME BASE (RHV) AND SCHOOL (SJSU), AND HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO RPT MY ACFT TO THE FAA, ANOTHER PLT CAME ON THE AIR AND STARTED ARGUING WITH HIM ABOUT THE ISSUE. I JUST RETURNED TO RHV, ABOUT 2000' AGL. I THINK SUCH A RESTRICTION SHOULD BE ON THE MAP TO BE ENFORCEABLE OR BE SENT OUT TO PLTS.

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.