Cftt. Low altitude civil operation.

Attributes
ACN	276634
Time
Date	199407
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dma
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 920 flight time type : 34
ASRS Report	276634
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Photo mission in contact with davis monthan AFB approach control (tus approach) who cleared me to maneuver for photos at 5500 ft, then 4500 ft. I then asked for 1000 ft AGL (3500 ft MSL), for my lower photo. After leveling off at 3500 ft MSL, I slowed to 80 mph IAS for the photo run. We must slow the aircraft down as much as possible for reduced blurring in the photos. The aircraft began to settle rapidly and I added approximately 60 percent power at first and then went to full power. By the time I had reestablished a climb we were down to approximately 500 ft AGL or 3000 ft MSL. I called ATC to rechk the altimeter setting and confirmed that it was correct at 30.01. ATC never mentioned anything about the low altitude and I continued my mission at 3500 ft MSL and departed for gyr. In review I feel the downdraft was both rare and unexpected. In the yrs that I have been making these flts I have never encountered this degree of a problem. The downdraft occurred at a very slow and critical portion of the flight with slow speed and myself looking outside to line up the run. In the future, I will maintain a higher speed for a larger margin of error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CFTT. LOW ALT CIVIL OP.

Narrative: PHOTO MISSION IN CONTACT WITH DAVIS MONTHAN AFB APCH CTL (TUS APCH) WHO CLRED ME TO MANEUVER FOR PHOTOS AT 5500 FT, THEN 4500 FT. I THEN ASKED FOR 1000 FT AGL (3500 FT MSL), FOR MY LOWER PHOTO. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 3500 FT MSL, I SLOWED TO 80 MPH IAS FOR THE PHOTO RUN. WE MUST SLOW THE ACFT DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR REDUCED BLURRING IN THE PHOTOS. THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE RAPIDLY AND I ADDED APPROX 60 PERCENT PWR AT FIRST AND THEN WENT TO FULL PWR. BY THE TIME I HAD REESTABLISHED A CLB WE WERE DOWN TO APPROX 500 FT AGL OR 3000 FT MSL. I CALLED ATC TO RECHK THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS CORRECT AT 30.01. ATC NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT THE LOW ALT AND I CONTINUED MY MISSION AT 3500 FT MSL AND DEPARTED FOR GYR. IN REVIEW I FEEL THE DOWNDRAFT WAS BOTH RARE AND UNEXPECTED. IN THE YRS THAT I HAVE BEEN MAKING THESE FLTS I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS DEG OF A PROB. THE DOWNDRAFT OCCURRED AT A VERY SLOW AND CRITICAL PORTION OF THE FLT WITH SLOW SPD AND MYSELF LOOKING OUTSIDE TO LINE UP THE RUN. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL MAINTAIN A HIGHER SPD FOR A LARGER MARGIN OF ERROR.

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.