Narrative:

I was hired through a photographer to provide a helicopter platform to shoot video footage of a local site for the local university. The site is relatively rural and surrounded by open fields and ponds. We made several low level passes over open fields and ponds approaching the site to create 'reveal' shots of the subject. I believe that I conducted this mission safely, and in compliance with the applicable far's. However, subsequent complaints from the lcls suggest that I may have passed too close or above people or houses that I was unaware of. One man claims that I scared a bull, and that it has not returned, and others claim that I scared their children, and came very close to their houses. I believe that they were simply disturbed by my noise and are exaggerating their claims for effect. I think many people perceive a helicopter as inherently dangerous. I was in the area for a maximum of 1 hour -- probably less. I regret causing these people grief and anxiety, but feel that I posed no threat. I endeavor to be aware of people that my actions may upset for the good of GA -- I think that I underestimated this time. I am currently reviewing the FARS to determine if I have any misunderstandings about the rules in order to correct my actions next time. We flew from YYY to the subject site about 5 mi away, where I performed a reconnaissance of the area to look for obstacles and other concerns at the ground, and to discuss what he wanted. This was performed at 300-500 ft AGL. I did not see any housing or people in the area. Our initial pass was over the field where the cattle were at about 20 ft AGL. The nearest cows moved away, but the herd did not appear to be concerned. We made several similar passes from various directions, all over open fields. We made one pass for some treetop shots at about 30-40 ft with nothing else below. We made one higher pass above the subject at about 300-500 ft AGL at 40-50 KTS. At no time during any pass did I observe people or houses that I could have missed during the reconnaissance. I believe that I was well away from any concern. I will certainly be more concerned on my photo flts from now on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT IS ACCUSED OF OPERATING AT TOO LOW AN ALT DURING A PHOTOGRAPHIC MISSION.

Narrative: I WAS HIRED THROUGH A PHOTOGRAPHER TO PROVIDE A HELI PLATFORM TO SHOOT VIDEO FOOTAGE OF A LCL SITE FOR THE LCL UNIVERSITY. THE SITE IS RELATIVELY RURAL AND SURROUNDED BY OPEN FIELDS AND PONDS. WE MADE SEVERAL LOW LEVEL PASSES OVER OPEN FIELDS AND PONDS APCHING THE SITE TO CREATE 'REVEAL' SHOTS OF THE SUBJECT. I BELIEVE THAT I CONDUCTED THIS MISSION SAFELY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE FAR'S. HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS FROM THE LCLS SUGGEST THAT I MAY HAVE PASSED TOO CLOSE OR ABOVE PEOPLE OR HOUSES THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF. ONE MAN CLAIMS THAT I SCARED A BULL, AND THAT IT HAS NOT RETURNED, AND OTHERS CLAIM THAT I SCARED THEIR CHILDREN, AND CAME VERY CLOSE TO THEIR HOUSES. I BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE SIMPLY DISTURBED BY MY NOISE AND ARE EXAGGERATING THEIR CLAIMS FOR EFFECT. I THINK MANY PEOPLE PERCEIVE A HELI AS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. I WAS IN THE AREA FOR A MAX OF 1 HR -- PROBABLY LESS. I REGRET CAUSING THESE PEOPLE GRIEF AND ANXIETY, BUT FEEL THAT I POSED NO THREAT. I ENDEAVOR TO BE AWARE OF PEOPLE THAT MY ACTIONS MAY UPSET FOR THE GOOD OF GA -- I THINK THAT I UNDERESTIMATED THIS TIME. I AM CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE FARS TO DETERMINE IF I HAVE ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE RULES IN ORDER TO CORRECT MY ACTIONS NEXT TIME. WE FLEW FROM YYY TO THE SUBJECT SITE ABOUT 5 MI AWAY, WHERE I PERFORMED A RECONNAISSANCE OF THE AREA TO LOOK FOR OBSTACLES AND OTHER CONCERNS AT THE GND, AND TO DISCUSS WHAT HE WANTED. THIS WAS PERFORMED AT 300-500 FT AGL. I DID NOT SEE ANY HOUSING OR PEOPLE IN THE AREA. OUR INITIAL PASS WAS OVER THE FIELD WHERE THE CATTLE WERE AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL. THE NEAREST COWS MOVED AWAY, BUT THE HERD DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONCERNED. WE MADE SEVERAL SIMILAR PASSES FROM VARIOUS DIRECTIONS, ALL OVER OPEN FIELDS. WE MADE ONE PASS FOR SOME TREETOP SHOTS AT ABOUT 30-40 FT WITH NOTHING ELSE BELOW. WE MADE ONE HIGHER PASS ABOVE THE SUBJECT AT ABOUT 300-500 FT AGL AT 40-50 KTS. AT NO TIME DURING ANY PASS DID I OBSERVE PEOPLE OR HOUSES THAT I COULD HAVE MISSED DURING THE RECONNAISSANCE. I BELIEVE THAT I WAS WELL AWAY FROM ANY CONCERN. I WILL CERTAINLY BE MORE CONCERNED ON MY PHOTO FLTS FROM NOW ON.

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.