Ultra light vehicle operating under section 103 of the far's unintentionally flew under river bridge...

Attributes
ACN	556269
Time
Date	200208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	OR
Altitude	agl single value : 40
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rjaa.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Ultralight
Operating Under FAR Part	other : 103
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 150 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	556269
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other
Independent Detector	other other : 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Airspace Structure Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I was flying a single-seat ultra light (FAA part 103) up the rogue river in an area that I was unfamiliar with. I had descended to approximately 40 ft AGL when the canyon became very narrow and steep. I came around a sharp turn in the river and found myself facing a tall high bridge. The bridge was too tall to climb over, and the canyon was too narrow to turn around in, so flying under the bridge was my only option. Because the bridge was both tall and wide, there was plenty of clearance for the ultra light plane to fly through. Fortunately there was nobody on the bridge, in the river, or on the riverbanks at the time of this incident. The only person or property in danger at this time was myself and my plane. It came to my attention later that day, that a friend of mine whom had also been flying low on the river, was cited for flying below 1000 ft AGL. I am now aware of both the law and the dangers of flying at low altitudes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he has received a citation from blm for flying less than 1000 ft over a bridge and scenic area with a $100 fine. He reiterated that he will be not only adhering to that rule, but also keep a higher altitude in case of a forced landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ULTRA LIGHT VEHICLE OPERATING UNDER SECTION 103 OF THE FAR'S UNINTENTIONALLY FLEW UNDER RIVER BRIDGE IN A REMOTE AREA, AND BELIEVED THAT HE WAS IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE FAR'S.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A SINGLE-SEAT ULTRA LIGHT (FAA PART 103) UP THE ROGUE RIVER IN AN AREA THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH. I HAD DSNDED TO APPROX 40 FT AGL WHEN THE CANYON BECAME VERY NARROW AND STEEP. I CAME AROUND A SHARP TURN IN THE RIVER AND FOUND MYSELF FACING A TALL HIGH BRIDGE. THE BRIDGE WAS TOO TALL TO CLB OVER, AND THE CANYON WAS TOO NARROW TO TURN AROUND IN, SO FLYING UNDER THE BRIDGE WAS MY ONLY OPTION. BECAUSE THE BRIDGE WAS BOTH TALL AND WIDE, THERE WAS PLENTY OF CLRNC FOR THE ULTRA LIGHT PLANE TO FLY THROUGH. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NOBODY ON THE BRIDGE, IN THE RIVER, OR ON THE RIVERBANKS AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT. THE ONLY PERSON OR PROPERTY IN DANGER AT THIS TIME WAS MYSELF AND MY PLANE. IT CAME TO MY ATTN LATER THAT DAY, THAT A FRIEND OF MINE WHOM HAD ALSO BEEN FLYING LOW ON THE RIVER, WAS CITED FOR FLYING BELOW 1000 FT AGL. I AM NOW AWARE OF BOTH THE LAW AND THE DANGERS OF FLYING AT LOW ALTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE HAS RECEIVED A CITATION FROM BLM FOR FLYING LESS THAN 1000 FT OVER A BRIDGE AND SCENIC AREA WITH A $100 FINE. HE REITERATED THAT HE WILL BE NOT ONLY ADHERING TO THAT RULE, BUT ALSO KEEP A HIGHER ALT IN CASE OF A FORCED LNDG.

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.

Ultra light vehicle operating under section 103 of the far's unintentionally flew under river bridge in a remote area, and believed that he was in non compliance with the far's.