A helicopter found itself flying low during a photo flight.

Attributes
ACN	258757
Time
Date	199312
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : srq
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : srq
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	258757
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During an aerial photography flight, I circled a house which was the subject of the shoot. The photographer was german, and did not speak english as well as he had led me to believe. Between trying to understand the photographer, and monitoring the local tower, I became distracted and flew lower than normal. While the helicopter was never over persons or property, it was, none the less, not very professional. In the future, I will brief on the ground more thoroughly, especially with non-english speaking passenger. I will schedule appointments so there is ample time for ground briefing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI FOUND ITSELF FLYING LOW DURING A PHOTO FLT.

Narrative: DURING AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FLT, I CIRCLED A HOUSE WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE SHOOT. THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS GERMAN, AND DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AS WELL AS HE HAD LED ME TO BELIEVE. BTWN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PHOTOGRAPHER, AND MONITORING THE LCL TWR, I BECAME DISTRACTED AND FLEW LOWER THAN NORMAL. WHILE THE HELI WAS NEVER OVER PERSONS OR PROPERTY, IT WAS, NONE THE LESS, NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BRIEF ON THE GND MORE THOROUGHLY, ESPECIALLY WITH NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PAX. I WILL SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS SO THERE IS AMPLE TIME FOR GND BRIEFING.

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.