Aircraft in pattern does not attain tpa, spectators from airshow in parking lot.

Attributes
ACN	176187
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vad
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vai
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	176187
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Moody AFB airspace was closed on X/april/91 until xx:00L for an air show. After the air show, another pilot and I offered 'dollar rides' to some personnel who had worked on the air show set-up as a reward. These aircraft were static display only and did not fly in the show. After the ramp was cleared of spectators, we taxied out for takeoff. The other aircraft went first and requested left closed traffic. To keep the pattern similar, I also requested left closed traffic. Tower okayed this adding that pattern altitude was 1200'. While turning downwind I realized that there were numerous spectators in the parking lot and in traffic leaving the show. I didn't know if the show deadline was still in effect (and didn't know its location anyway) and knowing I shouldn't fly over a large crowd I kept my pattern as close to the runway as feasibile and away from the spectators. Due to aircraft performance I only got to 1000' on downwind before descending to land. While I didn't do anything out of the ordinary (no aerobatics, etc) just a regular closed pattern and posed no danger to any people (plenty of room to turn away in case of engine failure, etc) I think I should have asked the tower for more information on the deadline, or made right traffic away from the crowd over a wooded area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT IN PATTERN DOES NOT ATTAIN TPA, SPECTATORS FROM AIRSHOW IN PARKING LOT.

Narrative: MOODY AFB AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED ON X/APRIL/91 UNTIL XX:00L FOR AN AIR SHOW. AFTER THE AIR SHOW, ANOTHER PLT AND I OFFERED 'DOLLAR RIDES' TO SOME PERSONNEL WHO HAD WORKED ON THE AIR SHOW SET-UP AS A REWARD. THESE ACFT WERE STATIC DISPLAY ONLY AND DID NOT FLY IN THE SHOW. AFTER THE RAMP WAS CLRED OF SPECTATORS, WE TAXIED OUT FOR TKOF. THE OTHER ACFT WENT FIRST AND REQUESTED L CLOSED TFC. TO KEEP THE PATTERN SIMILAR, I ALSO REQUESTED L CLOSED TFC. TWR OKAYED THIS ADDING THAT PATTERN ALT WAS 1200'. WHILE TURNING DOWNWIND I REALIZED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS SPECTATORS IN THE PARKING LOT AND IN TFC LEAVING THE SHOW. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THE SHOW DEADLINE WAS STILL IN EFFECT (AND DIDN'T KNOW ITS LOCATION ANYWAY) AND KNOWING I SHOULDN'T FLY OVER A LARGE CROWD I KEPT MY PATTERN AS CLOSE TO THE RWY AS FEASIBILE AND AWAY FROM THE SPECTATORS. DUE TO ACFT PERFORMANCE I ONLY GOT TO 1000' ON DOWNWIND BEFORE DSNDING TO LAND. WHILE I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY (NO AEROBATICS, ETC) JUST A REGULAR CLOSED PATTERN AND POSED NO DANGER TO ANY PEOPLE (PLENTY OF ROOM TO TURN AWAY IN CASE OF ENG FAILURE, ETC) I THINK I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE TWR FOR MORE INFO ON THE DEADLINE, OR MADE R TFC AWAY FROM THE CROWD OVER A WOODED AREA.

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.