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A military flight crew received reports of noise complaints resulting from flight conducted below minimum safe altitude in a congested area. FAA investigating.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 315781 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199509 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : 2b2 |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mht |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Military |
| Operating Under FAR Part | other : other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 315781 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | other other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I am the engineering test pilot for the program. The program required infrared imagery from ocean to shore and high value targets. The planned altitude was no less than 500 ft AGL per 91.119. The route of flight was an oval w-e, northeast pattern. The targets were the highway bridge over the merrimack river and seabrook station. The seeker/sensor is mounted on the left side of the airframe looking forward offset 15 des from longitudinal axis. I made repeated level runs over both designated targets. Since landing I have received several reports of noise complaints and 'eye- witness' complaints of 100 ft AGL. I flew with special regard for far 91.119. The level of complaints has caused the local FAA-FSDO office to investigate the issue. I maintain that I was well within the FAA guidelines and at no time violated far 91.119. This program flight is a one- time mission profile. The normal mission profile is 5000- 10000 ft AGL. The lowest future plans indicate 1500 ft AGL.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A MIL FLC RECEIVED RPTS OF NOISE COMPLAINTS RESULTING FROM FLT CONDUCTED BELOW MINIMUM SAFE ALT IN A CONGESTED AREA. FAA INVESTIGATING.
Narrative: I AM THE ENGINEERING TEST PLT FOR THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM REQUIRED INFRARED IMAGERY FROM OCEAN TO SHORE AND HIGH VALUE TARGETS. THE PLANNED ALT WAS NO LESS THAN 500 FT AGL PER 91.119. THE RTE OF FLT WAS AN OVAL W-E, NE PATTERN. THE TARGETS WERE THE HIGHWAY BRIDGE OVER THE MERRIMACK RIVER AND SEABROOK STATION. THE SEEKER/SENSOR IS MOUNTED ON THE L SIDE OF THE AIRFRAME LOOKING FORWARD OFFSET 15 DES FROM LONGITUDINAL AXIS. I MADE REPEATED LEVEL RUNS OVER BOTH DESIGNATED TARGETS. SINCE LNDG I HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL RPTS OF NOISE COMPLAINTS AND 'EYE- WITNESS' COMPLAINTS OF 100 FT AGL. I FLEW WITH SPECIAL REGARD FOR FAR 91.119. THE LEVEL OF COMPLAINTS HAS CAUSED THE LCL FAA-FSDO OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. I MAINTAIN THAT I WAS WELL WITHIN THE FAA GUIDELINES AND AT NO TIME VIOLATED FAR 91.119. THIS PROGRAM FLT IS A ONE- TIME MISSION PROFILE. THE NORMAL MISSION PROFILE IS 5000- 10000 FT AGL. THE LOWEST FUTURE PLANS INDICATE 1500 FT AGL.
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.