Narrative:

The violation was performing a loop in a federal arwy. I, the pilot, and 1 passenger were aboard on aerobatic small aircraft, which was not equipped with parachutes. The chain of events started with the pilot and a group of fellow pilots were admiring my new small aircraft. One of the group wanted me to do a loop with him as a passenger. The other people involved encouraged me to show them the loop. Despite no parachutes, after much coaxing by the other pilots, I agreed to loop the aircraft. In all the excitement and coaxing, followed by another aircraft full of spectators, rushed to get airborne and, departing in a 90 degree crosswind in a formation takeoff. Once at 4000' MSL I did some clearing turns and stalls to see if wind was a factor. Once again over the air-to-air radio frequency more coaching and cheering of the spectators along with the excitement of the passenger encouraged me to enter the aerobatic maneuver of the loop. 3 loops were performed west/O incident or conflict. After returning to the airport, a charter pilot and an FAA inspector pulled me aside and informed me I had violated a regulation by performing an aerobatic maneuver in a federal arwy, and failing to provide parachutes to passenger and crew. After an extensive chat with the inspector, I now realize why parachutes are needed. I now fully understand the danger I imposed upon myself, the passenger and any other aircraft that could have been following the arwy. Excitement is no excuse for jumping into an aircraft and doing crazy stunts. Sound judgement and proper equipment are musts for every flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT WITH NEW AEROBATIC ACFT GETS CAUGHT DOING LOOP ALONG AIRWAY WITH NO PARACHUTES FOR PLT AND PASSENGERS.

Narrative: THE VIOLATION WAS PERFORMING A LOOP IN A FEDERAL ARWY. I, THE PLT, AND 1 PAX WERE ABOARD ON AEROBATIC SMA, WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH PARACHUTES. THE CHAIN OF EVENTS STARTED WITH THE PLT AND A GROUP OF FELLOW PLTS WERE ADMIRING MY NEW SMA. ONE OF THE GROUP WANTED ME TO DO A LOOP WITH HIM AS A PAX. THE OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED ENCOURAGED ME TO SHOW THEM THE LOOP. DESPITE NO PARACHUTES, AFTER MUCH COAXING BY THE OTHER PLTS, I AGREED TO LOOP THE ACFT. IN ALL THE EXCITEMENT AND COAXING, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER ACFT FULL OF SPECTATORS, RUSHED TO GET AIRBORNE AND, DEPARTING IN A 90 DEG XWIND IN A FORMATION TKOF. ONCE AT 4000' MSL I DID SOME CLRING TURNS AND STALLS TO SEE IF WIND WAS A FACTOR. ONCE AGAIN OVER THE AIR-TO-AIR RADIO FREQ MORE COACHING AND CHEERING OF THE SPECTATORS ALONG WITH THE EXCITEMENT OF THE PAX ENCOURAGED ME TO ENTER THE AEROBATIC MANEUVER OF THE LOOP. 3 LOOPS WERE PERFORMED W/O INCIDENT OR CONFLICT. AFTER RETURNING TO THE ARPT, A CHARTER PLT AND AN FAA INSPECTOR PULLED ME ASIDE AND INFORMED ME I HAD VIOLATED A REG BY PERFORMING AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER IN A FEDERAL ARWY, AND FAILING TO PROVIDE PARACHUTES TO PAX AND CREW. AFTER AN EXTENSIVE CHAT WITH THE INSPECTOR, I NOW REALIZE WHY PARACHUTES ARE NEEDED. I NOW FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DANGER I IMPOSED UPON MYSELF, THE PAX AND ANY OTHER ACFT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE ARWY. EXCITEMENT IS NO EXCUSE FOR JUMPING INTO AN ACFT AND DOING CRAZY STUNTS. SOUND JUDGEMENT AND PROPER EQUIP ARE MUSTS FOR EVERY FLT.

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.