Narrative:

I had just departed runway 36 at freeway airport (W00) in mitchelville, md. I was flying at a safe altitude, over a friend's house near the airport, and within applicable regulations. After that I flew eward for practicing some maneuvers. When I returned to freeway I was told that someone had telephoned the airport with a complaint, giving the aircraft's tail number and reporting that the plane was operating at an unsafe altitude -- 100 ft AGL. This person said he would call the FAA. First of all, I was never lower than 500 ft AGL. I complied with far 91.119(a) and 91.119(C). I called a flight instructor who stated that I should have complied with far 91.119(B). In retrospect, I agree with that. I had misjudged the density of population in the area. There was no other traffic in the traffic pattern or in the vicinity. I was just outside the traffic pattern for freeway airport, operating at the pattern altitude of 1000 ft MSL (approximately 830 ft AGL -- the field elevation at freeway is 168 ft). The neighborhood is less than 3 mi southeast of the airport, and is directly under the approach for a 45 degree entry to the downwind leg of the left hand pattern for runway 18. In fact the person complaining should have been very accustomed to seeing aircraft at that altitude. I flew over my friend's house 3 times, twice at 1000 ft MSL (about 830 ft AGL), and once at 700-750 ft MSL (530-580 ft AGL). Then I left the area. I was never at an unsafe altitude. There was a field just about directly below me, which I would have used for a forced landing site. I would like to add that my altimeter setting was correct. Shortly after departing the area I listened to the andrews AFB (adw) ATIS broadcast, and found that my altimeter setting was the same as was being reported for adw.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES LOW OVER FRIEND'S HOUSE. COMPLAINT FROM GND OBSERVER.

Narrative: I HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 36 AT FREEWAY ARPT (W00) IN MITCHELVILLE, MD. I WAS FLYING AT A SAFE ALT, OVER A FRIEND'S HOUSE NEAR THE ARPT, AND WITHIN APPLICABLE REGS. AFTER THAT I FLEW EWARD FOR PRACTICING SOME MANEUVERS. WHEN I RETURNED TO FREEWAY I WAS TOLD THAT SOMEONE HAD TELEPHONED THE ARPT WITH A COMPLAINT, GIVING THE ACFT'S TAIL NUMBER AND RPTING THAT THE PLANE WAS OPERATING AT AN UNSAFE ALT -- 100 FT AGL. THIS PERSON SAID HE WOULD CALL THE FAA. FIRST OF ALL, I WAS NEVER LOWER THAN 500 FT AGL. I COMPLIED WITH FAR 91.119(A) AND 91.119(C). I CALLED A FLT INSTRUCTOR WHO STATED THAT I SHOULD HAVE COMPLIED WITH FAR 91.119(B). IN RETROSPECT, I AGREE WITH THAT. I HAD MISJUDGED THE DENSITY OF POPULATION IN THE AREA. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE TFC PATTERN OR IN THE VICINITY. I WAS JUST OUTSIDE THE TFC PATTERN FOR FREEWAY ARPT, OPERATING AT THE PATTERN ALT OF 1000 FT MSL (APPROX 830 FT AGL -- THE FIELD ELEVATION AT FREEWAY IS 168 FT). THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS LESS THAN 3 MI SE OF THE ARPT, AND IS DIRECTLY UNDER THE APCH FOR A 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE L HAND PATTERN FOR RWY 18. IN FACT THE PERSON COMPLAINING SHOULD HAVE BEEN VERY ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING ACFT AT THAT ALT. I FLEW OVER MY FRIEND'S HOUSE 3 TIMES, TWICE AT 1000 FT MSL (ABOUT 830 FT AGL), AND ONCE AT 700-750 FT MSL (530-580 FT AGL). THEN I LEFT THE AREA. I WAS NEVER AT AN UNSAFE ALT. THERE WAS A FIELD JUST ABOUT DIRECTLY BELOW ME, WHICH I WOULD HAVE USED FOR A FORCED LNDG SITE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT MY ALTIMETER SETTING WAS CORRECT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE AREA I LISTENED TO THE ANDREWS AFB (ADW) ATIS BROADCAST, AND FOUND THAT MY ALTIMETER SETTING WAS THE SAME AS WAS BEING RPTED FOR ADW.

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.