Low flight by traffic watch aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	277686
Time
Date	199407
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : n51
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 450 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	277686
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I fly for traffic watch over the roads of ny and nj. I was circling over the scene of our accident outside our usual area and needed to see the exit number on the interstate where the road was closed off. This can usually be done while still staying 500 ft from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure as 91.119 of the far's state. Although I did have a suitable landing site (the closed interstate ahead) I believe I descended below 500 ft AGL before reading the road sign. In the future, carrying binoculars or maps that range out as far as we fly would refrain the situation from reoccurring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FLT BY TFC WATCH ACFT.

Narrative: I FLY FOR TFC WATCH OVER THE ROADS OF NY AND NJ. I WAS CIRCLING OVER THE SCENE OF OUR ACCIDENT OUTSIDE OUR USUAL AREA AND NEEDED TO SEE THE EXIT NUMBER ON THE INTERSTATE WHERE THE ROAD WAS CLOSED OFF. THIS CAN USUALLY BE DONE WHILE STILL STAYING 500 FT FROM ANY PERSON, VESSEL, VEHICLE OR STRUCTURE AS 91.119 OF THE FAR'S STATE. ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE A SUITABLE LNDG SITE (THE CLOSED INTERSTATE AHEAD) I BELIEVE I DSNDED BELOW 500 FT AGL BEFORE READING THE ROAD SIGN. IN THE FUTURE, CARRYING BINOCULARS OR MAPS THAT RANGE OUT AS FAR AS WE FLY WOULD REFRAIN THE SIT FROM REOCCURRING.

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.