Prison warden accuses pilot of a 'prison patrol' in a low altitude civil operation.

Attributes
ACN	283798
Time
Date	199409
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rac
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	J3 Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 32000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	283798
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I believe the following to be a non-incident, but since I have been accused I must defend myself. On sep/xx/94, I was flying my J-3 cub. I had been asked by the radio control flying club to see if I could locate a lost model airplane which I have done before. The area of search was just north of the local correctional institution. The warden of this institution read my license number using binoculars. He then called milwaukee GADO and said that I had been circling his prison at 200 or 300 ft, coming in close proximity to lights on 125 ft poles. I conducted my entire search north by at least 200 yards from the north wall of the prison. At no time did I circle the prison. My minimum altitude was 500 ft over open fields. I have witnesses. The warden does not like airplanes, and has complained to the local airport previously. Ps, I found the lost model.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRISON WARDEN ACCUSES PLT OF A 'PRISON PATROL' IN A LOW ALT CIVIL OP.

Narrative: I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING TO BE A NON-INCIDENT, BUT SINCE I HAVE BEEN ACCUSED I MUST DEFEND MYSELF. ON SEP/XX/94, I WAS FLYING MY J-3 CUB. I HAD BEEN ASKED BY THE RADIO CTL FLYING CLUB TO SEE IF I COULD LOCATE A LOST MODEL AIRPLANE WHICH I HAVE DONE BEFORE. THE AREA OF SEARCH WAS JUST N OF THE LCL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION. THE WARDEN OF THIS INSTITUTION READ MY LICENSE NUMBER USING BINOCULARS. HE THEN CALLED MILWAUKEE GADO AND SAID THAT I HAD BEEN CIRCLING HIS PRISON AT 200 OR 300 FT, COMING IN CLOSE PROX TO LIGHTS ON 125 FT POLES. I CONDUCTED MY ENTIRE SEARCH N BY AT LEAST 200 YARDS FROM THE N WALL OF THE PRISON. AT NO TIME DID I CIRCLE THE PRISON. MY MINIMUM ALT WAS 500 FT OVER OPEN FIELDS. I HAVE WITNESSES. THE WARDEN DOES NOT LIKE AIRPLANES, AND HAS COMPLAINED TO THE LCL ARPT PREVIOUSLY. PS, I FOUND THE LOST MODEL.

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.