<< >> NASA ASRS Report 813383, November 2008

BE55 commercial pilot on a sightseeing flight with passengers descended below 1000 feet and entered the uncontrolled traffic pattern at ZZZ incorrectly; citing the passengers as the primary distraction.

Attributes
ACN	813383
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hpn.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	813383
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During a sightseeing flight with 2 small children on board; I was distraction while orbiting over a house. I lost altitude and dropped below the 1000 ft AGL requirement. Also; while returning to the airport; additional distrs from the kids caused me to lose awareness and enter the traffic pattern incorrectly. The pattern for the airport is right traffic for runway 16; and I did left traffic. I took 4 people on board who had never been in a small airplane before; and this caused several distrs. I should have reduced the number on board; and taken somebody to help me with the passenger. I made at least 2 mistakes due to these distrs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 COMMERCIAL PILOT ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH PASSENGERS DESCENDED BELOW 1000 FEET AND ENTERED THE UNCONTROLLED TRAFFIC PATTERN AT ZZZ INCORRECTLY; CITING THE PASSENGERS AS THE PRIMARY DISTRACTION.

Narrative: DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLT WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN ON BOARD; I WAS DISTR WHILE ORBITING OVER A HOUSE. I LOST ALT AND DROPPED BELOW THE 1000 FT AGL REQUIREMENT. ALSO; WHILE RETURNING TO THE ARPT; ADDITIONAL DISTRS FROM THE KIDS CAUSED ME TO LOSE AWARENESS AND ENTER THE TFC PATTERN INCORRECTLY. THE PATTERN FOR THE ARPT IS RIGHT TFC FOR RWY 16; AND I DID LEFT TFC. I TOOK 4 PEOPLE ON BOARD WHO HAD NEVER BEEN IN A SMALL AIRPLANE BEFORE; AND THIS CAUSED SEVERAL DISTRS. I SHOULD HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER ON BOARD; AND TAKEN SOMEBODY TO HELP ME WITH THE PAX. I MADE AT LEAST 2 MISTAKES DUE TO THESE DISTRS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.