Private pilot of a C172 was reported to the FAA for low flying over a boat in local lake.

Attributes
ACN	478450
Time
Date	200007
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lwm.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 205 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lwm.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude descent : vacating altitude descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 244 flight time type : 184
ASRS Report	478450
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was notified by the FAA on jul/xc/00 (phone conversation at approximately XA00) that there was a complaint filed against my plane (small aircraft) for a flight which occurred on jul/xa/00. The complaint was that I was allegedly operating too low over a boat. On jul/xa/00, I was practicing landing turns (left downwind, 1200 ft to final 500 ft above the water) over a local pond/lake. It is my understanding that 700 ft MSL while flying over water or a boat (at 200 ft AGL) is within acceptable rules. I do not feel that there is a problem, but I wanted to report this issue to NASA since the FAA contacted me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A C172 WAS RPTED TO THE FAA FOR LOW FLYING OVER A BOAT IN LCL LAKE.

Narrative: I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE FAA ON JUL/XC/00 (PHONE CONVERSATION AT APPROX XA00) THAT THERE WAS A COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST MY PLANE (SMA) FOR A FLT WHICH OCCURRED ON JUL/XA/00. THE COMPLAINT WAS THAT I WAS ALLEGEDLY OPERATING TOO LOW OVER A BOAT. ON JUL/XA/00, I WAS PRACTICING LNDG TURNS (L DOWNWIND, 1200 FT TO FINAL 500 FT ABOVE THE WATER) OVER A LCL POND/LAKE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT 700 FT MSL WHILE FLYING OVER WATER OR A BOAT (AT 200 FT AGL) IS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE RULES. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE IS A PROB, BUT I WANTED TO RPT THIS ISSUE TO NASA SINCE THE FAA CONTACTED ME.

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.