Narrative:

Operation was agricultural dispensing approximately 15 NM from home base. Aircraft was moderately loaded at close to restr gross. This was during a heat wave with temperatures 95-100 degrees, humidity 70-90 percent. Esn AWOS reported surface winds 24/04 with a note that density altitude was 2400 ft. Fields to be sprayed had obstacles including 2 areas which were considered congested. I completed the long rows to get rid of as much weight as possible to increase aircraft performance before working the tight places. On several of the turns near the congested areas, I had to pull tighter than I thought to prevent overflt. However, on each occurrence, I was able to avoid overflt albeit not by much (it was close). As time progressed, the wind diminished to nothing and the aircraft weight got lighter. On one pass, I caught some turbulence from a previous pass and, in order to maintain controled flight, I had to overfly a congested area at approximately 200 ft AGL. Under more normal density altitude conditions, this would not have happened. Aircraft performance would allow an escape. I believe contributing to this incident were factors such as rapidly approaching darkness (I was in a hurry and I am sure I used the aircraft performance to the limit) and the limited fuel carried (for weight reasons, fuel is kept to a minimum as allowed per far 137). I was in a hurry due to approaching darkness and fuel constraints. This, teamed with higher than normal density altitude, created a situation where I tried to ask the aircraft for more than it could deliver (performance wise). No doubt the extreme heat affected me adversely too, and thus my judgement. Fortunately no damage done.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA AGRICULTURAL PLT FLEW LOW OVER A CONGESTED AREA IN HIGH DENSITY ALT CONDITIONS.

Narrative: OP WAS AGRICULTURAL DISPENSING APPROX 15 NM FROM HOME BASE. ACFT WAS MODERATELY LOADED AT CLOSE TO RESTR GROSS. THIS WAS DURING A HEAT WAVE WITH TEMPS 95-100 DEGS, HUMIDITY 70-90 PERCENT. ESN AWOS RPTED SURFACE WINDS 24/04 WITH A NOTE THAT DENSITY ALT WAS 2400 FT. FIELDS TO BE SPRAYED HAD OBSTACLES INCLUDING 2 AREAS WHICH WERE CONSIDERED CONGESTED. I COMPLETED THE LONG ROWS TO GET RID OF AS MUCH WT AS POSSIBLE TO INCREASE ACFT PERFORMANCE BEFORE WORKING THE TIGHT PLACES. ON SEVERAL OF THE TURNS NEAR THE CONGESTED AREAS, I HAD TO PULL TIGHTER THAN I THOUGHT TO PREVENT OVERFLT. HOWEVER, ON EACH OCCURRENCE, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID OVERFLT ALBEIT NOT BY MUCH (IT WAS CLOSE). AS TIME PROGRESSED, THE WIND DIMINISHED TO NOTHING AND THE ACFT WT GOT LIGHTER. ON ONE PASS, I CAUGHT SOME TURB FROM A PREVIOUS PASS AND, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN CTLED FLT, I HAD TO OVERFLY A CONGESTED AREA AT APPROX 200 FT AGL. UNDER MORE NORMAL DENSITY ALT CONDITIONS, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. ACFT PERFORMANCE WOULD ALLOW AN ESCAPE. I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WERE FACTORS SUCH AS RAPIDLY APCHING DARKNESS (I WAS IN A HURRY AND I AM SURE I USED THE ACFT PERFORMANCE TO THE LIMIT) AND THE LIMITED FUEL CARRIED (FOR WT REASONS, FUEL IS KEPT TO A MINIMUM AS ALLOWED PER FAR 137). I WAS IN A HURRY DUE TO APCHING DARKNESS AND FUEL CONSTRAINTS. THIS, TEAMED WITH HIGHER THAN NORMAL DENSITY ALT, CREATED A SIT WHERE I TRIED TO ASK THE ACFT FOR MORE THAN IT COULD DELIVER (PERFORMANCE WISE). NO DOUBT THE EXTREME HEAT AFFECTED ME ADVERSELY TOO, AND THUS MY JUDGEMENT. FORTUNATELY NO DAMAGE DONE.

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.