Ground observer thinks small aircraft may have engine problems. Contacts local police.

Attributes
ACN	257126
Time
Date	199311
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 26n
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	257126
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While flying a sightseeing flight with some friends, I filed instrument to wwd (cape may, nj) then VFR. After wwd, I flew just off the nj coast north at 500 ft. I flew north across the front of atlantic city's casinos and then turned back south. There was some turbulence and my passenger, who never flew before, looked as though stopping in ocean city may be appropriate. While walking around the ramp at 26N (ocean city) a police officer pulled up and asked if I had engine problems. He explained a citizen called expressing a concern that an aircraft flew low over his house with an engine problem. The officer and I came to the conclusion that a quiet town late at night, combined with routine power changes and use of carburetor heat, may have alluded to an aircraft seemingly flying lower over his house with engine problems. The purpose of this report is a concern that a complaint may have been filed concerning my altitude. The entire flight was no lower than 1000 ft AGL except for just off the coast and terminal areas. I was never lower than 500 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND OBSERVER THINKS SMA MAY HAVE ENG PROBS. CONTACTS LCL POLICE.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING A SIGHTSEEING FLT WITH SOME FRIENDS, I FILED INST TO WWD (CAPE MAY, NJ) THEN VFR. AFTER WWD, I FLEW JUST OFF THE NJ COAST N AT 500 FT. I FLEW N ACROSS THE FRONT OF ATLANTIC CITY'S CASINOS AND THEN TURNED BACK S. THERE WAS SOME TURB AND MY PAX, WHO NEVER FLEW BEFORE, LOOKED AS THOUGH STOPPING IN OCEAN CITY MAY BE APPROPRIATE. WHILE WALKING AROUND THE RAMP AT 26N (OCEAN CITY) A POLICE OFFICER PULLED UP AND ASKED IF I HAD ENG PROBS. HE EXPLAINED A CITIZEN CALLED EXPRESSING A CONCERN THAT AN ACFT FLEW LOW OVER HIS HOUSE WITH AN ENG PROB. THE OFFICER AND I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT A QUIET TOWN LATE AT NIGHT, COMBINED WITH ROUTINE PWR CHANGES AND USE OF CARB HEAT, MAY HAVE ALLUDED TO AN ACFT SEEMINGLY FLYING LOWER OVER HIS HOUSE WITH ENG PROBS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RPT IS A CONCERN THAT A COMPLAINT MAY HAVE BEEN FILED CONCERNING MY ALT. THE ENTIRE FLT WAS NO LOWER THAN 1000 FT AGL EXCEPT FOR JUST OFF THE COAST AND TERMINAL AREAS. I WAS NEVER LOWER THAN 500 FT.

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.