Small aircraft flies low over lake for aerial photography.

Attributes
ACN	246622
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 5n4 airport : 14a
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 350 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 81 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	246622
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying with my cousin and his friend from elkin, nc, to lincolnton. We had a professional camera on board which my cousin uses for his scrapbook. We had been taking pictures the whole trip and he wanted to get some shots of the lake. I paid close attention to my altimeter to try to hold 500 ft above the lake. There were some times that we were in a bank to get a good shot that I lost about 100 ft of altitude. I then would correct it immediately. We flew over the lake for about 30 mins. When we landed at 5n4 (lincolnton airport), I went to pay for the rental plane. Once in the FBO, I was shocked to find out someone had called the airport who recognized the plane and complained about me being too low over the lake. I was very distraught from the news and went back to the plane to check my altimeter. I found out that I had forgotten to reset my altimeter from elkin and it was approximately 150 ft off. I feel that we were being safe over the lake. It was my fault, though, not to have reset the altimeter. We also might not have picked the best day because the lake was very crowded and the noise of the plane might have disrupted other people like the person who called and complained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES LOW OVER LAKE FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING WITH MY COUSIN AND HIS FRIEND FROM ELKIN, NC, TO LINCOLNTON. WE HAD A PROFESSIONAL CAMERA ON BOARD WHICH MY COUSIN USES FOR HIS SCRAPBOOK. WE HAD BEEN TAKING PICTURES THE WHOLE TRIP AND HE WANTED TO GET SOME SHOTS OF THE LAKE. I PAID CLOSE ATTN TO MY ALTIMETER TO TRY TO HOLD 500 FT ABOVE THE LAKE. THERE WERE SOME TIMES THAT WE WERE IN A BANK TO GET A GOOD SHOT THAT I LOST ABOUT 100 FT OF ALT. I THEN WOULD CORRECT IT IMMEDIATELY. WE FLEW OVER THE LAKE FOR ABOUT 30 MINS. WHEN WE LANDED AT 5N4 (LINCOLNTON ARPT), I WENT TO PAY FOR THE RENTAL PLANE. ONCE IN THE FBO, I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT SOMEONE HAD CALLED THE ARPT WHO RECOGNIZED THE PLANE AND COMPLAINED ABOUT ME BEING TOO LOW OVER THE LAKE. I WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT FROM THE NEWS AND WENT BACK TO THE PLANE TO CHK MY ALTIMETER. I FOUND OUT THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO RESET MY ALTIMETER FROM ELKIN AND IT WAS APPROX 150 FT OFF. I FEEL THAT WE WERE BEING SAFE OVER THE LAKE. IT WAS MY FAULT, THOUGH, NOT TO HAVE RESET THE ALTIMETER. WE ALSO MIGHT NOT HAVE PICKED THE BEST DAY BECAUSE THE LAKE WAS VERY CROWDED AND THE NOISE OF THE PLANE MIGHT HAVE DISRUPTED OTHER PEOPLE LIKE THE PERSON WHO CALLED AND COMPLAINED.

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.