Narrative:

I inadvertently descended below minimum safe altitude while orbiting over a traffic accident for a long period of time. The aircraft was configured for slow flight with flaps partially extended. I believe that the problem arose because of the onset of fatigue and the complacency coupled with the repetitive tasks involved with orbiting for long periods of time. After arriving at the scene of an automatic traffic accident, I reduced power and extended the flaps and took up orbiting. I chose to orbit at 1600 ft MSL based on the crq altimeter setting. Based on information on my class B terminal chart, I determined that the terrain was approximately 500-600 ft above sea level. 1600 ft would place me 1000 ft AGL. After orbiting for approximately 30 mins, I realized that by the view out the windows and by the altimeter, that I was well below my chosen altitude. I immediately added full power and climbed back to 1600 ft MSL and continued orbiting. I feel that while using the automatic accident as a pivot point for orbiting, scanning for other traffic and constantly adjusting the power to compensate for the turbulence and speculating on how the traffic accident occurred, coupled with complacency and fatigue, that I neglected to look at the altimeter and take corrective action sooner. My perception of my performance (or the lack thereof) is that I have allowed myself, over time, to become complacent, mostly because of the repetition of my flying. I have realized that I need to be careful and watch for the onset of boredom and complacency, and take corrective action by paying careful attention to the business of flying and improve my situational awareness.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC WATCH PLT DSNDS DOWN TO 600 FT AGL WHEN ORBITING AN ACCIDENT SCENE.

Narrative: I INADVERTENTLY DSNDED BELOW MINIMUM SAFE ALT WHILE ORBITING OVER A TFC ACCIDENT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THE ACFT WAS CONFIGURED FOR SLOW FLT WITH FLAPS PARTIALLY EXTENDED. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE OF THE ONSET OF FATIGUE AND THE COMPLACENCY COUPLED WITH THE REPETITIVE TASKS INVOLVED WITH ORBITING FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE SCENE OF AN AUTO TFC ACCIDENT, I REDUCED PWR AND EXTENDED THE FLAPS AND TOOK UP ORBITING. I CHOSE TO ORBIT AT 1600 FT MSL BASED ON THE CRQ ALTIMETER SETTING. BASED ON INFO ON MY CLASS B TERMINAL CHART, I DETERMINED THAT THE TERRAIN WAS APPROX 500-600 FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL. 1600 FT WOULD PLACE ME 1000 FT AGL. AFTER ORBITING FOR APPROX 30 MINS, I REALIZED THAT BY THE VIEW OUT THE WINDOWS AND BY THE ALTIMETER, THAT I WAS WELL BELOW MY CHOSEN ALT. I IMMEDIATELY ADDED FULL PWR AND CLBED BACK TO 1600 FT MSL AND CONTINUED ORBITING. I FEEL THAT WHILE USING THE AUTO ACCIDENT AS A PIVOT POINT FOR ORBITING, SCANNING FOR OTHER TFC AND CONSTANTLY ADJUSTING THE PWR TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TURB AND SPECULATING ON HOW THE TFC ACCIDENT OCCURRED, COUPLED WITH COMPLACENCY AND FATIGUE, THAT I NEGLECTED TO LOOK AT THE ALTIMETER AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION SOONER. MY PERCEPTION OF MY PERFORMANCE (OR THE LACK THEREOF) IS THAT I HAVE ALLOWED MYSELF, OVER TIME, TO BECOME COMPLACENT, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE REPETITION OF MY FLYING. I HAVE REALIZED THAT I NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND WATCH FOR THE ONSET OF BOREDOM AND COMPLACENCY, AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION BY PAYING CAREFUL ATTN TO THE BUSINESS OF FLYING AND IMPROVE MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

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.