Pilot in small aircraft flew over a city near cyy lower than what is permitted by FARS.

Attributes
ACN	443490
Time
Date	199907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ccy.airport
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl single value : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	443490
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the pilot of an aircraft taking photos of the flood damage in charles city, ia. I did not check to see what the town's elevation was and flew at an altitude less than 1000 ft above the city. I was more concerned with getting good photos and assumed the ground elevation to be around 800 ft MSL. I deviated a few times from my altitude of 1800 ft MSL because of lack of attention as well, sometimes getting down to 1600 ft MSL, which was only 600 ft AGL. The error was not discovered until after landing at my home airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT IN SMA FLEW OVER A CITY NEAR CYY LOWER THAN WHAT IS PERMITTED BY FARS.

Narrative: I WAS THE PLT OF AN ACFT TAKING PHOTOS OF THE FLOOD DAMAGE IN CHARLES CITY, IA. I DID NOT CHK TO SEE WHAT THE TOWN'S ELEVATION WAS AND FLEW AT AN ALT LESS THAN 1000 FT ABOVE THE CITY. I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH GETTING GOOD PHOTOS AND ASSUMED THE GND ELEVATION TO BE AROUND 800 FT MSL. I DEVIATED A FEW TIMES FROM MY ALT OF 1800 FT MSL BECAUSE OF LACK OF ATTN AS WELL, SOMETIMES GETTING DOWN TO 1600 FT MSL, WHICH WAS ONLY 600 FT AGL. THE ERROR WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL AFTER LNDG AT MY HOME ARPT.

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.