Small aircraft on training flight descends too low over populated area.

Attributes
ACN	231650
Time
Date	199301
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	231650
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on a training flight with a student in an small aircraft. Originally our altitude was 1600 ft MSL over farmlands. I had the student perform power off (engine idle) full-flap dscnts. At 700 MSL the student turned to the east but was losing airspeed. He did not respond to verbal instructions to lower the nose to increase the airspeed. I lowered the nose of the aircraft to increase the airspeed. About 1/2 mi ahead was a small mobile home complex. At 300 ft MSL I applied full power and began to retract the flaps. I veered to the left to avoid overflying the mobile home park. Half a mi north of the trailer park is a radio station tower complex. I decided I had enough room (at least 500 ft separation) between the station and the trailer park. I failed to see the equipment/small radio dishes underneath my intended route of flight. I was climbing at the time but I was below the 500 ft minimum separation from the small radio dishes. The problem was distraction to avoid a stall and failure to see structures on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON TRAINING FLT DSNDS TOO LOW OVER POPULATED AREA.

Narrative: I WAS ON A TRAINING FLT WITH A STUDENT IN AN SMA. ORIGINALLY OUR ALT WAS 1600 FT MSL OVER FARMLANDS. I HAD THE STUDENT PERFORM PWR OFF (ENG IDLE) FULL-FLAP DSCNTS. AT 700 MSL THE STUDENT TURNED TO THE E BUT WAS LOSING AIRSPD. HE DID NOT RESPOND TO VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS TO LOWER THE NOSE TO INCREASE THE AIRSPD. I LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TO INCREASE THE AIRSPD. ABOUT 1/2 MI AHEAD WAS A SMALL MOBILE HOME COMPLEX. AT 300 FT MSL I APPLIED FULL PWR AND BEGAN TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. I VEERED TO THE L TO AVOID OVERFLYING THE MOBILE HOME PARK. HALF A MI N OF THE TRAILER PARK IS A RADIO STATION TWR COMPLEX. I DECIDED I HAD ENOUGH ROOM (AT LEAST 500 FT SEPARATION) BTWN THE STATION AND THE TRAILER PARK. I FAILED TO SEE THE EQUIP/SMALL RADIO DISHES UNDERNEATH MY INTENDED RTE OF FLT. I WAS CLBING AT THE TIME BUT I WAS BELOW THE 500 FT MINIMUM SEPARATION FROM THE SMALL RADIO DISHES. THE PROB WAS DISTR TO AVOID A STALL AND FAILURE TO SEE STRUCTURES ON THE GND.

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.