Low altitude civil flight over buildings by spi leads to ground obs reporting the event to local tow...

Attributes
ACN	191787
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : saf
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 74 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	191787
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took off in the local FBO's low wing small aircraft. I then proceeded to fly to the west of santa flight engineer to diablo canyon at the estimated altitude of 7200 ft MSL. I then headed east towards town in search of a friends house. Upon finding the house, I did a 360 degree turn, reduced my altitude and overflew the house. I then did a 180 degree turn and oveflew the house once again. Thereafter I made yet another 180 and headed over town at what I thought was a safe altitude because I realized I got a little low when I began my climb back up to altitude, the ground looked a lot closer than it should have been. I climbed to 10000 ft and headed back to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport I was informed by the tower to call the tower as soon as I got to a phone. I did and was informed that I had been reported for low level flight. Afterwards I was told by a highly experienced pilot that the town was at a higher elevation than the airport, which I thought were the same.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL FLT OVER BUILDINGS BY SPI LEADS TO GND OBS RPTING THE EVENT TO LCL TWR.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF IN THE LCL FBO'S LOW WING SMA. I THEN PROCEEDED TO FLY TO THE W OF SANTA FE TO DIABLO CANYON AT THE ESTIMATED ALT OF 7200 FT MSL. I THEN HEADED E TOWARDS TOWN IN SEARCH OF A FRIENDS HOUSE. UPON FINDING THE HOUSE, I DID A 360 DEG TURN, REDUCED MY ALT AND OVERFLEW THE HOUSE. I THEN DID A 180 DEG TURN AND OVEFLEW THE HOUSE ONCE AGAIN. THEREAFTER I MADE YET ANOTHER 180 AND HEADED OVER TOWN AT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SAFE ALT BECAUSE I REALIZED I GOT A LITTLE LOW WHEN I BEGAN MY CLB BACK UP TO ALT, THE GND LOOKED A LOT CLOSER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I CLBED TO 10000 FT AND HEADED BACK TO THE ARPT. UPON ARRIVING AT THE ARPT I WAS INFORMED BY THE TWR TO CALL THE TWR AS SOON AS I GOT TO A PHONE. I DID AND WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD BEEN RPTED FOR LOW LEVEL FLT. AFTERWARDS I WAS TOLD BY A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PLT THAT THE TOWN WAS AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THAN THE ARPT, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE THE SAME.

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.

Low altitude civil flight over buildings by spi leads to ground obs reporting the event to local tower.