Narrative:

I departed 1c5 (clow airport, plainfield) at approximately xy local. From there I flew to the palatine/barrington area and recognized familiar landmarks. I located my parent's house, circled the area several times and departed towards the east to lake michigan. 2 days later I received a phone call from the FAA dupage FSDO. I find that I may be in violation of descending below a MSA while operating in a careless and reckless manner. The FAA informs me that I will be receiving a letter and to respond. I responded with statements from several neighbors who remember the incident. They all remember 2 planes in the area, and that 1 was lower than the other. I never descended below 500 AGL, but find that the 500 ft MSA might not apply. I believed the area to be other than congested, but find the FARS do not define congested, uncongested, and sparsely populated areas. I fear certificate action due to being responsible for the other plane's actions, and the vague descriptions of populated areas. If in fact the MSA in the area is 1000 ft AGL, it doesn't support the allegation that I was careless and reckless by descending to 500 ft AGL when I honestly thought I was permitted to. Maybe a better definition of terms and/or a notation on a sectional could have prevented this.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOW ALT FLT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED 1C5 (CLOW ARPT, PLAINFIELD) AT APPROX XY LCL. FROM THERE I FLEW TO THE PALATINE/BARRINGTON AREA AND RECOGNIZED FAMILIAR LANDMARKS. I LOCATED MY PARENT'S HOUSE, CIRCLED THE AREA SEVERAL TIMES AND DEPARTED TOWARDS THE E TO LAKE MICHIGAN. 2 DAYS LATER I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE FAA DUPAGE FSDO. I FIND THAT I MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF DSNDING BELOW A MSA WHILE OPERATING IN A CARELESS AND RECKLESS MANNER. THE FAA INFORMS ME THAT I WILL BE RECEIVING A LETTER AND TO RESPOND. I RESPONDED WITH STATEMENTS FROM SEVERAL NEIGHBORS WHO REMEMBER THE INCIDENT. THEY ALL REMEMBER 2 PLANES IN THE AREA, AND THAT 1 WAS LOWER THAN THE OTHER. I NEVER DSNDED BELOW 500 AGL, BUT FIND THAT THE 500 FT MSA MIGHT NOT APPLY. I BELIEVED THE AREA TO BE OTHER THAN CONGESTED, BUT FIND THE FARS DO NOT DEFINE CONGESTED, UNCONGESTED, AND SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS. I FEAR CERTIFICATE ACTION DUE TO BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER PLANE'S ACTIONS, AND THE VAGUE DESCRIPTIONS OF POPULATED AREAS. IF IN FACT THE MSA IN THE AREA IS 1000 FT AGL, IT DOESN'T SUPPORT THE ALLEGATION THAT I WAS CARELESS AND RECKLESS BY DSNDING TO 500 FT AGL WHEN I HONESTLY THOUGHT I WAS PERMITTED TO. MAYBE A BETTER DEFINITION OF TERMS AND/OR A NOTATION ON A SECTIONAL COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

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.