Narrative:

I operate an small transport on a private basis out of the paxton, il, airport. In 6/88 the airport management scheduled an air show. I attended the air show/fly-in and witnessed that prior to the scheduled aerobatics, the other private pilots were, on an impromptu basis, taking off and making low passes. Some were in formation and some were alone. I decided that I would do the same thing, so I took off and made 2 low passes. I then landed. An FAA rep at the show approached me and asked me for my certificate number and other information. He said nothing more to me but mentioned to other people that, 'that guy has had it.' if I did anything wrong I didn't know what it would be that was any different than what other pilots were doing. There were people all over the apron and lined up on the approach end of the runway. Some of the low passes that were made stayed directly over the runway and some were slightly off of it. Some were lower than others. One of my low passes was directly over the runway and one was over the apron next to it. Never was I any closer than approximately 50' from people, about the same distance as the other planes. I believe that at the air show there was a waiver of certain rules in order for the performance to be made. It seems to me that better information could have been disseminated to those present as to what was acceptable and what wasn't in the performance of aircraft. At no point did I feel like I endangered any people. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: FAA has elected not to take action against any of the pilots involved in the fly-bys. Air show operators did not have good crowd control as people were everywhere on the airport including the ends of runways. He had advised the airport authorities what he planned to do as did the other pilots. Is aware of the far governing flight over congested areas. After the fact was sorry he participated in the event and vows he will not do that again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW PASS OVER ARPT DURING AIRSHOW.

Narrative: I OPERATE AN SMT ON A PVT BASIS OUT OF THE PAXTON, IL, ARPT. IN 6/88 THE ARPT MGMNT SCHEDULED AN AIR SHOW. I ATTENDED THE AIR SHOW/FLY-IN AND WITNESSED THAT PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED AEROBATICS, THE OTHER PVT PLTS WERE, ON AN IMPROMPTU BASIS, TAKING OFF AND MAKING LOW PASSES. SOME WERE IN FORMATION AND SOME WERE ALONE. I DECIDED THAT I WOULD DO THE SAME THING, SO I TOOK OFF AND MADE 2 LOW PASSES. I THEN LANDED. AN FAA REP AT THE SHOW APCHED ME AND ASKED ME FOR MY CERTIFICATE NUMBER AND OTHER INFO. HE SAID NOTHING MORE TO ME BUT MENTIONED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT, 'THAT GUY HAS HAD IT.' IF I DID ANYTHING WRONG I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE THAT WAS ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT OTHER PLTS WERE DOING. THERE WERE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE APRON AND LINED UP ON THE APCH END OF THE RWY. SOME OF THE LOW PASSES THAT WERE MADE STAYED DIRECTLY OVER THE RWY AND SOME WERE SLIGHTLY OFF OF IT. SOME WERE LOWER THAN OTHERS. ONE OF MY LOW PASSES WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE RWY AND ONE WAS OVER THE APRON NEXT TO IT. NEVER WAS I ANY CLOSER THAN APPROX 50' FROM PEOPLE, ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE OTHER PLANES. I BELIEVE THAT AT THE AIR SHOW THERE WAS A WAIVER OF CERTAIN RULES IN ORDER FOR THE PERFORMANCE TO BE MADE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT BETTER INFO COULD HAVE BEEN DISSEMINATED TO THOSE PRESENT AS TO WHAT WAS ACCEPTABLE AND WHAT WASN'T IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ACFT. AT NO POINT DID I FEEL LIKE I ENDANGERED ANY PEOPLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FAA HAS ELECTED NOT TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST ANY OF THE PLTS INVOLVED IN THE FLY-BYS. AIR SHOW OPERATORS DID NOT HAVE GOOD CROWD CONTROL AS PEOPLE WERE EVERYWHERE ON THE ARPT INCLUDING THE ENDS OF RWYS. HE HAD ADVISED THE ARPT AUTHORITIES WHAT HE PLANNED TO DO AS DID THE OTHER PLTS. IS AWARE OF THE FAR GOVERNING FLT OVER CONGESTED AREAS. AFTER THE FACT WAS SORRY HE PARTICIPATED IN THE EVENT AND VOWS HE WILL NOT DO THAT AGAIN.

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.