A power line patrol pilot reports that a resident in the area of his patrol complained that he was f...

Attributes
ACN	332808
Time
Date	199603
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ldm
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 100 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 115 flight time total : 7260 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	332808
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After returning from a normal patrol flight, during which we visually inspected a 46 kv circuit, I received a phone call from our company headquarters that a local resident complained about us flying low over his property 'leaving ripples in his pond and had to pull up to miss the trees on the north side of his property.' I told the gentleman that we were over the road in front of his house and he argued that we were not. I tried to explain that his perspective on the ground was different than that in the aircraft and that we were operating safely and in a position relative to the line that was necessary for the observer to see the power line. He complained that there had been 'a lot of crashes around tvc lately and they always make a big splash when they come down.' I assured him we would watch out for his property in the future and that we were just doing our job. He concluded the call by saying, 'yeah, that's all you guys ever do is just do your job!' and then he hung up on me. I instructed our observer to mark this location on our patrol maps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PWR LINE PATROL PLT RPTS THAT A RESIDENT IN THE AREA OF HIS PATROL COMPLAINED THAT HE WAS FLYING TOO LOW WHILE FOLLOWING THE LINE. THE RPTR TRIED TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH THE LCL RESIDENT, BUT HE HUNG UP ON HIM.

Narrative: AFTER RETURNING FROM A NORMAL PATROL FLT, DURING WHICH WE VISUALLY INSPECTED A 46 KV CIRCUIT, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM OUR COMPANY HEADQUARTERS THAT A LCL RESIDENT COMPLAINED ABOUT US FLYING LOW OVER HIS PROPERTY 'LEAVING RIPPLES IN HIS POND AND HAD TO PULL UP TO MISS THE TREES ON THE N SIDE OF HIS PROPERTY.' I TOLD THE GENTLEMAN THAT WE WERE OVER THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE AND HE ARGUED THAT WE WERE NOT. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE GND WAS DIFFERENT THAN THAT IN THE ACFT AND THAT WE WERE OPERATING SAFELY AND IN A POS RELATIVE TO THE LINE THAT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE OBSERVER TO SEE THE PWR LINE. HE COMPLAINED THAT THERE HAD BEEN 'A LOT OF CRASHES AROUND TVC LATELY AND THEY ALWAYS MAKE A BIG SPLASH WHEN THEY COME DOWN.' I ASSURED HIM WE WOULD WATCH OUT FOR HIS PROPERTY IN THE FUTURE AND THAT WE WERE JUST DOING OUR JOB. HE CONCLUDED THE CALL BY SAYING, 'YEAH, THAT'S ALL YOU GUYS EVER DO IS JUST DO YOUR JOB!' AND THEN HE HUNG UP ON ME. I INSTRUCTED OUR OBSERVER TO MARK THIS LOCATION ON OUR PATROL MAPS.

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.

A power line patrol pilot reports that a resident in the area of his patrol complained that he was flying too low while following the line. The reporter tried to discuss the matter with the local resident, but he hung up on him.