Low altitude civil flight over congested area by private pilot of an small aircraft sel.

Attributes
ACN	299092
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : esn
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 850
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 550 flight time type : 130
ASRS Report	299092
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I took a friend for a pleasure flight. He wanted to photograph his waterfront home on the south side of the town of oxford, md. I approached the town from the east at 1200 ft MSL and turned south - beyond town - and began to descend over water. I planned to fly at 600 ft MSL - 1/4 mi out - so he could get a picture. There were no boats in sight on the water. After making the pass, my passenger asked if we could get closer on the second pass. I told him I had to be 1000 ft over town, but could hug the shoreline so he could get a picture, at 600 ft. As we made the second pass and came abeam the house, the wing got in the way. I dropped the right wing instinctively and found myself headed toward town at 700 ft MSL. I immediately initiated a climb and crossed the shoreline at 850 ft. The town occupies a very narrow strip of land and was bisected at the lower third, while climbing. Farm land lies beyond town. The mistake I made was not anticipating the wing obstruction and not having a plan in place to avoid over flying the town below minimum altitude. I also let myself be pressured into pleasing the photographic desires of my passenger. I conscientiously follow the FARS and am disappointed in myself. I will nevertheless learn from this one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL FLT OVER CONGESTED AREA BY PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL.

Narrative: I TOOK A FRIEND FOR A PLEASURE FLT. HE WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH HIS WATERFRONT HOME ON THE S SIDE OF THE TOWN OF OXFORD, MD. I APCHED THE TOWN FROM THE E AT 1200 FT MSL AND TURNED S - BEYOND TOWN - AND BEGAN TO DSND OVER WATER. I PLANNED TO FLY AT 600 FT MSL - 1/4 MI OUT - SO HE COULD GET A PICTURE. THERE WERE NO BOATS IN SIGHT ON THE WATER. AFTER MAKING THE PASS, MY PAX ASKED IF WE COULD GET CLOSER ON THE SECOND PASS. I TOLD HIM I HAD TO BE 1000 FT OVER TOWN, BUT COULD HUG THE SHORELINE SO HE COULD GET A PICTURE, AT 600 FT. AS WE MADE THE SECOND PASS AND CAME ABEAM THE HOUSE, THE WING GOT IN THE WAY. I DROPPED THE R WING INSTINCTIVELY AND FOUND MYSELF HEADED TOWARD TOWN AT 700 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLB AND CROSSED THE SHORELINE AT 850 FT. THE TOWN OCCUPIES A VERY NARROW STRIP OF LAND AND WAS BISECTED AT THE LOWER THIRD, WHILE CLBING. FARM LAND LIES BEYOND TOWN. THE MISTAKE I MADE WAS NOT ANTICIPATING THE WING OBSTRUCTION AND NOT HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE TO AVOID OVER FLYING THE TOWN BELOW MINIMUM ALT. I ALSO LET MYSELF BE PRESSURED INTO PLEASING THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DESIRES OF MY PAX. I CONSCIENTIOUSLY FOLLOW THE FARS AND AM DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF. I WILL NEVERTHELESS LEARN FROM THIS ONE.

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.