Narrative:

Aircraft small aircraft assigned for use in spotting forest fires and other emergency type situations. Operated by plymouth county, ma, fire departments; we (myself and a fire department observer) were told to respond to a forest fire at location above. We did so, but were unable to pinpoint exact location for responding fire apparatus. I flew the aircraft to a known geographic location (route 139 in marshfield) at an altitude approximately 500 ft AGL and followed roads which the observer was able to identify using a road map. This enabled us to relay the correct route to the fire apparatus on the ground. In doing so, I inadvertently flew into an area that was more than sparsely populated, although I would not say it was congested. This area was about 1 mi west of the location above. Once again over the fire I circled the area for approximately 30 mins while the observer directed in fire apparatus. The area of the fire was an open field and forest with little population. At times my altitude was lower than 500 ft AGL while we were identing terrain and a route in through the marsh. At times I was closer than 500 ft to a dwelling. Although the obvious possible violation would appear to be operating an aircraft below min safe altitudes, understand that the nature of the purpose of the aircraft dictates that it be operated close to the ground. There is simply no other way to identify geographic features such as fire roads, streams, or lost children etc. Although I made every attempt to remain within the min safe altitudes, in some cases the urgency of the situation preceded my attention to the altimeter. Also it is important to note that it is/was understood by myself and other pilots who operate this aircraft for this purpose that a 'low altitude waiver' existed in the event that low altitude operation was required. This was assured by the administration in charge of the operation was required. This was assured by the administration in charge of the operation of the aircraft. There is, in fact, such a document but whether or not it waives FARS is unclr, which is why I am submitting this statement. So, while I was aware of my close proximity to the ground and fire apparatus (and dwellings) I never intentionally violated any far.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GOV FIRE OBSERVATION ACFT FLIES LOW ALT SEEKING RTE TO DIRECT GND FIRE APPARATUS TO FIRE LOCATION.

Narrative: ACFT SMA ASSIGNED FOR USE IN SPOTTING FOREST FIRES AND OTHER EMER TYPE SITUATIONS. OPERATED BY PLYMOUTH COUNTY, MA, FIRE DEPARTMENTS; WE (MYSELF AND A FIRE DEPT OBSERVER) WERE TOLD TO RESPOND TO A FOREST FIRE AT LOCATION ABOVE. WE DID SO, BUT WERE UNABLE TO PINPOINT EXACT LOCATION FOR RESPONDING FIRE APPARATUS. I FLEW THE ACFT TO A KNOWN GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION (RTE 139 IN MARSHFIELD) AT AN ALT APPROX 500 FT AGL AND FOLLOWED ROADS WHICH THE OBSERVER WAS ABLE TO IDENT USING A ROAD MAP. THIS ENABLED US TO RELAY THE CORRECT RTE TO THE FIRE APPARATUS ON THE GND. IN DOING SO, I INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO AN AREA THAT WAS MORE THAN SPARSELY POPULATED, ALTHOUGH I WOULD NOT SAY IT WAS CONGESTED. THIS AREA WAS ABOUT 1 MI W OF THE LOCATION ABOVE. ONCE AGAIN OVER THE FIRE I CIRCLED THE AREA FOR APPROX 30 MINS WHILE THE OBSERVER DIRECTED IN FIRE APPARATUS. THE AREA OF THE FIRE WAS AN OPEN FIELD AND FOREST WITH LITTLE POPULATION. AT TIMES MY ALT WAS LOWER THAN 500 FT AGL WHILE WE WERE IDENTING TERRAIN AND A RTE IN THROUGH THE MARSH. AT TIMES I WAS CLOSER THAN 500 FT TO A DWELLING. ALTHOUGH THE OBVIOUS POSSIBLE VIOLATION WOULD APPEAR TO BE OPERATING AN ACFT BELOW MIN SAFE ALTS, UNDERSTAND THAT THE NATURE OF THE PURPOSE OF THE ACFT DICTATES THAT IT BE OPERATED CLOSE TO THE GND. THERE IS SIMPLY NO OTHER WAY TO IDENT GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES SUCH AS FIRE ROADS, STREAMS, OR LOST CHILDREN ETC. ALTHOUGH I MADE EVERY ATTEMPT TO REMAIN WITHIN THE MIN SAFE ALTS, IN SOME CASES THE URGENCY OF THE SITUATION PRECEDED MY ATTN TO THE ALTIMETER. ALSO IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT IS/WAS UNDERSTOOD BY MYSELF AND OTHER PLTS WHO OPERATE THIS ACFT FOR THIS PURPOSE THAT A 'LOW ALT WAIVER' EXISTED IN THE EVENT THAT LOW ALT OP WAS REQUIRED. THIS WAS ASSURED BY THE ADMINISTRATION IN CHARGE OF THE OP WAS REQUIRED. THIS WAS ASSURED BY THE ADMINISTRATION IN CHARGE OF THE OP OF THE ACFT. THERE IS, IN FACT, SUCH A DOCUMENT BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT WAIVES FARS IS UNCLR, WHICH IS WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS STATEMENT. SO, WHILE I WAS AWARE OF MY CLOSE PROX TO THE GND AND FIRE APPARATUS (AND DWELLINGS) I NEVER INTENTIONALLY VIOLATED ANY FAR.

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.