Narrative:

I set out to pick up the owner of the aircraft for what I thought to be a photo and instructional flight. I picked the owner up at helipad and departed for our flight without incident. Along our way; the owner stated he was friends with a county sheriff that had received permission from the county for a pickup at his house. Against my better judgement; I agreed to pick up the sheriff. I performed a high and low recon of the area. The off-airport approach was very tight (trees mostly; and low passes over 2 houses) but a possibility. It was not until I was into the approach that I realized how close the surrounding suburbs were. I landed without incident and the passenger got on board. After a sight-seeing flight; I had to backtrack to the suburb to drop off the sheriff. After another high and low recon; I proceeded again against my better judgement to the landing zone. The landing went without incident but during the takeoff; I saw lots of neighbors and spectators taking pictures and not looking too thrilled about the low flying helicopter. I should have refused to do this pickup and explained the 'no hazard to persons or property' rules to my new employer. I also should have realized that the landing zone was too congested to be making an approach and departure from. My departure from the landing zone had to be almost vertical; well outside the recommended takeoff profile in the poh ht/velocity diagram. Although I am proficient at steep approachs and maximum performance takeoffs; I was too far into the dead man's curve to feel good about this flight. It is also my understanding that the pickup and drop off fell under far 135; which I do not have a certificate for. In the future; I will make certain that my employer fully understands the regulations that must be complied with for far part 91 flight rules. I will most definitely use better judgement in the landing zones I use for off-airport operations. I will refuse any and all 'on-demand' operations until I have a 135 certificate. I believe that this infraction was caused by my refusal to say no to my new employer; my neglect of the MSA.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROBINSON R44 PLT MAKES AN OFF FIELD LNDG.

Narrative: I SET OUT TO PICK UP THE OWNER OF THE ACFT FOR WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A PHOTO AND INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. I PICKED THE OWNER UP AT HELIPAD AND DEPARTED FOR OUR FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALONG OUR WAY; THE OWNER STATED HE WAS FRIENDS WITH A COUNTY SHERIFF THAT HAD RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM THE COUNTY FOR A PICKUP AT HIS HOUSE. AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT; I AGREED TO PICK UP THE SHERIFF. I PERFORMED A HIGH AND LOW RECON OF THE AREA. THE OFF-ARPT APCH WAS VERY TIGHT (TREES MOSTLY; AND LOW PASSES OVER 2 HOUSES) BUT A POSSIBILITY. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I WAS INTO THE APCH THAT I REALIZED HOW CLOSE THE SURROUNDING SUBURBS WERE. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND THE PAX GOT ON BOARD. AFTER A SIGHT-SEEING FLT; I HAD TO BACKTRACK TO THE SUBURB TO DROP OFF THE SHERIFF. AFTER ANOTHER HIGH AND LOW RECON; I PROCEEDED AGAIN AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT TO THE LNDG ZONE. THE LNDG WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT DURING THE TKOF; I SAW LOTS OF NEIGHBORS AND SPECTATORS TAKING PICTURES AND NOT LOOKING TOO THRILLED ABOUT THE LOW FLYING HELI. I SHOULD HAVE REFUSED TO DO THIS PICKUP AND EXPLAINED THE 'NO HAZARD TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY' RULES TO MY NEW EMPLOYER. I ALSO SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT THE LNDG ZONE WAS TOO CONGESTED TO BE MAKING AN APCH AND DEP FROM. MY DEP FROM THE LNDG ZONE HAD TO BE ALMOST VERT; WELL OUTSIDE THE RECOMMENDED TKOF PROFILE IN THE POH HT/VELOCITY DIAGRAM. ALTHOUGH I AM PROFICIENT AT STEEP APCHS AND MAX PERFORMANCE TKOFS; I WAS TOO FAR INTO THE DEAD MAN'S CURVE TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS FLT. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PICKUP AND DROP OFF FELL UNDER FAR 135; WHICH I DO NOT HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT MY EMPLOYER FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE REGS THAT MUST BE COMPLIED WITH FOR FAR PART 91 FLT RULES. I WILL MOST DEFINITELY USE BETTER JUDGEMENT IN THE LNDG ZONES I USE FOR OFF-ARPT OPS. I WILL REFUSE ANY AND ALL 'ON-DEMAND' OPS UNTIL I HAVE A 135 CERTIFICATE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS INFRACTION WAS CAUSED BY MY REFUSAL TO SAY NO TO MY NEW EMPLOYER; MY NEGLECT OF THE MSA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.