Small aircraft on photo flight descends below 500' AGL.

Attributes
ACN	180978
Time
Date	199106
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : osu
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 350 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : osu
Operator	general aviation : personal
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 : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 520 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	180978
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Purpose of flight was to take videos of local area including a local golf course. Given FAA regulations the plan was to fly no lower than 500' AGL to shoot videos. After multiple passes over the target area a malfunction occurred with the camera. The pilot and camera man became engrossed in fixing the camera. When the pilot returned his attention to aircraft altitude he realized they were below 500' minimum by 100-150'. Altitude deviation was promptly fixed. Moral of the story...don't let minor distrs divert your attention from flying the airplane. Local tower (osu) was aware of our location and our plan. They were not aware,, however, of our altitude deviation from what we previously advised. No incident occurred...but one could have since we were only 6-7 mi from the field.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON PHOTO FLT DESCENDS BELOW 500' AGL.

Narrative: PURPOSE OF FLT WAS TO TAKE VIDEOS OF LCL AREA INCLUDING A LCL GOLF COURSE. GIVEN FAA REGS THE PLAN WAS TO FLY NO LOWER THAN 500' AGL TO SHOOT VIDEOS. AFTER MULTIPLE PASSES OVER THE TARGET AREA A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITH THE CAMERA. THE PLT AND CAMERA MAN BECAME ENGROSSED IN FIXING THE CAMERA. WHEN THE PLT RETURNED HIS ATTN TO ACFT ALT HE REALIZED THEY WERE BELOW 500' MINIMUM BY 100-150'. ALT DEV WAS PROMPTLY FIXED. MORAL OF THE STORY...DON'T LET MINOR DISTRS DIVERT YOUR ATTN FROM FLYING THE AIRPLANE. LCL TWR (OSU) WAS AWARE OF OUR LOCATION AND OUR PLAN. THEY WERE NOT AWARE,, HOWEVER, OF OUR ALT DEV FROM WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY ADVISED. NO INCIDENT OCCURRED...BUT ONE COULD HAVE SINCE WE WERE ONLY 6-7 MI FROM THE FIELD.

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.