Narrative:

On the above date, I received a phone call telling me that someone had reported that a plane was flying dangerously low in the vicinity of the country club of blue springs which is located near the intersection of highway 7 and duncan road in blue springs, mo. Since I was flying a plane in that area around the time noted, I have elected to file this report to establish a record of my account of my flight through the area at the time reported. I had departed from east kansas city airport (3GV) and climbed to an altitude of 2000 ft MSL as indicated on my altimeter. After leveling off at 2000 ft MSL, I decided to circle over the building where I worked which is located at the northeast corner of highway 7 and duncan road. I circled over the area several times and then departed the area to the west. The field elevation at 3GV is 835 ft MSL and, prior to takeoff, I set the altimeter to the field elevation. The elevation at the intersection of highway 7 and duncan road is approximately 900 ft MSL. In the immediate area around that intersection there are 1 and 2 story buildings and homes, signs, trees, and power lines. Allowing that some of these obstacles may be up to 50 ft in ht would place the highest obstacles in the area at approximately 950 ft MSL. Since the MSA over a congested area is 1000 ft above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2000 ft of the aircraft, the MSA for the above location would be approximately 1950 ft MSL. Since I planned on entering and maintaining an altitude of 2000 ft MSL or higher while in the area, I should have been above the MSA at all times. To the best of my knowledge, I did not descend below the MSA while flying in the area. I can only speculate that my flight path may have drawn more scrutiny from those on the ground since I circled the area several times, thus giving them a greater opportunity to 'guess' my altitude. To help alleviate future erroneous perceptions about whether or not I am flying above the MSA, I plan on increasing the margin between my planned altitude and the MSA for those areas that I overfly.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL RECEIVED COMPLAINT THAT HIS ACFT MAY HAVE BEEN OBSERVED FLYING BELOW THE MSA.

Narrative: ON THE ABOVE DATE, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL TELLING ME THAT SOMEONE HAD RPTED THAT A PLANE WAS FLYING DANGEROUSLY LOW IN THE VICINITY OF THE COUNTRY CLUB OF BLUE SPRINGS WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE INTXN OF HWY 7 AND DUNCAN ROAD IN BLUE SPRINGS, MO. SINCE I WAS FLYING A PLANE IN THAT AREA AROUND THE TIME NOTED, I HAVE ELECTED TO FILE THIS RPT TO ESTABLISH A RECORD OF MY ACCOUNT OF MY FLT THROUGH THE AREA AT THE TIME RPTED. I HAD DEPARTED FROM E KANSAS CITY ARPT (3GV) AND CLBED TO AN ALT OF 2000 FT MSL AS INDICATED ON MY ALTIMETER. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 2000 FT MSL, I DECIDED TO CIRCLE OVER THE BUILDING WHERE I WORKED WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE NE CORNER OF HWY 7 AND DUNCAN ROAD. I CIRCLED OVER THE AREA SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN DEPARTED THE AREA TO THE W. THE FIELD ELEVATION AT 3GV IS 835 FT MSL AND, PRIOR TO TKOF, I SET THE ALTIMETER TO THE FIELD ELEVATION. THE ELEVATION AT THE INTXN OF HWY 7 AND DUNCAN ROAD IS APPROX 900 FT MSL. IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND THAT INTXN THERE ARE 1 AND 2 STORY BUILDINGS AND HOMES, SIGNS, TREES, AND PWR LINES. ALLOWING THAT SOME OF THESE OBSTACLES MAY BE UP TO 50 FT IN HT WOULD PLACE THE HIGHEST OBSTACLES IN THE AREA AT APPROX 950 FT MSL. SINCE THE MSA OVER A CONGESTED AREA IS 1000 FT ABOVE THE HIGHEST OBSTACLE WITHIN A HORIZ RADIUS OF 2000 FT OF THE ACFT, THE MSA FOR THE ABOVE LOCATION WOULD BE APPROX 1950 FT MSL. SINCE I PLANNED ON ENTERING AND MAINTAINING AN ALT OF 2000 FT MSL OR HIGHER WHILE IN THE AREA, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOVE THE MSA AT ALL TIMES. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, I DID NOT DSND BELOW THE MSA WHILE FLYING IN THE AREA. I CAN ONLY SPECULATE THAT MY FLT PATH MAY HAVE DRAWN MORE SCRUTINY FROM THOSE ON THE GND SINCE I CIRCLED THE AREA SEVERAL TIMES, THUS GIVING THEM A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO 'GUESS' MY ALT. TO HELP ALLEVIATE FUTURE ERRONEOUS PERCEPTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I AM FLYING ABOVE THE MSA, I PLAN ON INCREASING THE MARGIN BTWN MY PLANNED ALT AND THE MSA FOR THOSE AREAS THAT I OVERFLY.

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.