Small aircraft drops toilet paper over race track.

Attributes
ACN	271859
Time
Date	199405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bwi tower : dtw
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 2100 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	271859
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

In the vicinity of pimlico race track, following the preakness race, I dropped 2 rolls of toilet paper. The paper unraveled and harmlessly descended, as a streamer. A short time later, bwi approach asked if I had seen an aircraft which was reported to have dropped toilet paper. I replied, 'say again balto.' they repeated the statement, but this time I did not answer. With my understanding that I was not creating a hazard to persons or property I thought there was no harm done. Bwi's call shook me up which precipitated this action. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he was the only aircraft in the area as the race had finished and most everyone had left. He was flying traffic watch and traffic was still tied up so that is why he was present. The toilet paper drop was a kind of celebration (that's as specific as he would get). It was a part 91 operation. He was very upset at being queried because he had read the regulation and felt there was no problem with his actions. He will never do anything like this again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DROPS TOILET PAPER OVER RACE TRACK.

Narrative: IN THE VICINITY OF PIMLICO RACE TRACK, FOLLOWING THE PREAKNESS RACE, I DROPPED 2 ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER. THE PAPER UNRAVELED AND HARMLESSLY DSNDED, AS A STREAMER. A SHORT TIME LATER, BWI APCH ASKED IF I HAD SEEN AN ACFT WHICH WAS RPTED TO HAVE DROPPED TOILET PAPER. I REPLIED, 'SAY AGAIN BALTO.' THEY REPEATED THE STATEMENT, BUT THIS TIME I DID NOT ANSWER. WITH MY UNDERSTANDING THAT I WAS NOT CREATING A HAZARD TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO HARM DONE. BWI'S CALL SHOOK ME UP WHICH PRECIPITATED THIS ACTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE WAS THE ONLY ACFT IN THE AREA AS THE RACE HAD FINISHED AND MOST EVERYONE HAD LEFT. HE WAS FLYING TFC WATCH AND TFC WAS STILL TIED UP SO THAT IS WHY HE WAS PRESENT. THE TOILET PAPER DROP WAS A KIND OF CELEBRATION (THAT'S AS SPECIFIC AS HE WOULD GET). IT WAS A PART 91 OP. HE WAS VERY UPSET AT BEING QUERIED BECAUSE HE HAD READ THE REG AND FELT THERE WAS NO PROB WITH HIS ACTIONS. HE WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN.

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.