Narrative:

On this date I rented the small transport to practice flight maneuvers. During the flight I decided to fly over poway high school. I was to graduate on 6/xx, and had finished all my classes. I was to graduate with honors and had received an appointment to the air force academy. For approximately 5 mins I circled poway high in an act of celebration. I had departed ramona airport, elevation approximately 1400' MSL. I estimate the high school elevation to be 1000' asl. My intent was to fly in a manner that would not cause alarm or fear to those on the ground. Unfortunately, and not deliberately, my altitude descended below the legal level. Upon landing back at ramona airport, I was met by a san diego county deputy sheriff. He advised me that poway high school officials had called them because of my low flying. The next morning I met with the assistant principal to explain my actions and to apologize. Afterward, I was advised that I was to be suspended and not permitted to attend commencement exercises with my senior class. I did not act in a deliberately malicious manner, nor did I intend to operate the aircraft in a manner that would jeopardize the safety of those on the ground or myself. I apologize for allowing my altitude to descend below legal levels. I look forward to attending the air force academy and a career as an air force pilot. I did not want this incident to jeopardize my scholastic and career plans. The incident has taught me to pay closer attention to my altitude, especially over populated areas. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: pilot has gone on to air force academy but FAA follow up is threatening his certificate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FLYING OVER SCHOOL AREA.

Narrative: ON THIS DATE I RENTED THE SMT TO PRACTICE FLT MANEUVERS. DURING THE FLT I DECIDED TO FLY OVER POWAY HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS TO GRADUATE ON 6/XX, AND HAD FINISHED ALL MY CLASSES. I WAS TO GRADUATE WITH HONORS AND HAD RECEIVED AN APPOINTMENT TO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY. FOR APPROX 5 MINS I CIRCLED POWAY HIGH IN AN ACT OF CELEBRATION. I HAD DEPARTED RAMONA ARPT, ELEVATION APPROX 1400' MSL. I ESTIMATE THE HIGH SCHOOL ELEVATION TO BE 1000' ASL. MY INTENT WAS TO FLY IN A MANNER THAT WOULD NOT CAUSE ALARM OR FEAR TO THOSE ON THE GND. UNFORTUNATELY, AND NOT DELIBERATELY, MY ALT DSNDED BELOW THE LEGAL LEVEL. UPON LNDG BACK AT RAMONA ARPT, I WAS MET BY A SAN DIEGO COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF. HE ADVISED ME THAT POWAY HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAD CALLED THEM BECAUSE OF MY LOW FLYING. THE NEXT MORNING I MET WITH THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TO EXPLAIN MY ACTIONS AND TO APOLOGIZE. AFTERWARD, I WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS TO BE SUSPENDED AND NOT PERMITTED TO ATTEND COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES WITH MY SENIOR CLASS. I DID NOT ACT IN A DELIBERATELY MALICIOUS MANNER, NOR DID I INTEND TO OPERATE THE ACFT IN A MANNER THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THOSE ON THE GND OR MYSELF. I APOLOGIZE FOR ALLOWING MY ALT TO DSND BELOW LEGAL LEVELS. I LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY AND A CAREER AS AN AIR FORCE PLT. I DID NOT WANT THIS INCIDENT TO JEOPARDIZE MY SCHOLASTIC AND CAREER PLANS. THE INCIDENT HAS TAUGHT ME TO PAY CLOSER ATTN TO MY ALT, ESPECIALLY OVER POPULATED AREAS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: PLT HAS GONE ON TO AIR FORCE ACADEMY BUT FAA FOLLOW UP IS THREATENING HIS CERTIFICATE.

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