Robinson R22 pilot makes a precautionary off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	579930
Time
Date	200304
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Robinson R22
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level landing : roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 680 flight time type : 402
ASRS Report	579930
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During photo flight, I thought I saw a warning indication light illuminate. There was no abnormal noises (engine versus transmission). I did a precautionary landing in an open unoccupied ball field. After contacting the authority/authorized service center and going through the possible causes I now believe that it was either sunlight shining on the lamp lens or perhaps the clutch light illuminating for belt tensioning. I obtained permission from the facility to take off the following day. As PIC, and having checked all the indicator lights, I departed without mechanical incident -- no indicators illuminated except for the clutch light as expected for belt tightening. The press caught on to the story and mis-stated facts in the case. The local police filed a citation for landing 'not in emergency status' and 'ht of aircraft and helicopter's' citation. There was no damage to the local property, no injuries and apparently no mechanical malfunction of the aircraft. It appears to be pilot error or sunlight or clutch light illumination not recognized as normal. Precautionary landing was reasonable in pilot's view.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROBINSON R22 PLT MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: DURING PHOTO FLT, I THOUGHT I SAW A WARNING INDICATION LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THERE WAS NO ABNORMAL NOISES (ENG VERSUS XMISSION). I DID A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN AN OPEN UNOCCUPIED BALL FIELD. AFTER CONTACTING THE AUTH SVC CTR AND GOING THROUGH THE POSSIBLE CAUSES I NOW BELIEVE THAT IT WAS EITHER SUNLIGHT SHINING ON THE LAMP LENS OR PERHAPS THE CLUTCH LIGHT ILLUMINATING FOR BELT TENSIONING. I OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM THE FACILITY TO TAKE OFF THE FOLLOWING DAY. AS PIC, AND HAVING CHKED ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS, I DEPARTED WITHOUT MECHANICAL INCIDENT -- NO INDICATORS ILLUMINATED EXCEPT FOR THE CLUTCH LIGHT AS EXPECTED FOR BELT TIGHTENING. THE PRESS CAUGHT ON TO THE STORY AND MIS-STATED FACTS IN THE CASE. THE LCL POLICE FILED A CITATION FOR LNDG 'NOT IN EMER STATUS' AND 'HT OF ACFT AND HELI'S' CITATION. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE LCL PROPERTY, NO INJURIES AND APPARENTLY NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT. IT APPEARS TO BE PLT ERROR OR SUNLIGHT OR CLUTCH LIGHT ILLUMINATION NOT RECOGNIZED AS NORMAL. PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WAS REASONABLE IN PLT'S VIEW.

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.