1995-03 · NASA ASRS report 299092
LOW ALT CIVIL FLT OVER CONGESTED AREA BY PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL.
I TOOK A FRIEND FOR A PLEASURE FLT. HE WANTED TO PHOTOGRAPH HIS WATERFRONT HOME ON THE S SIDE OF THE TOWN OF OXFORD; MD. I APCHED THE TOWN FROM THE E AT 1200 FT MSL AND TURNED S - BEYOND TOWN - AND BEGAN TO DSND OVER WATER. I PLANNED TO FLY AT 600 FT MSL - 1/4 MI OUT - SO HE COULD GET A PICTURE. THERE WERE NO BOATS IN SIGHT ON THE WATER. AFTER MAKING THE PASS; MY PAX ASKED IF WE COULD GET CLOSER ON THE SECOND PASS. I TOLD HIM I HAD TO BE 1000 FT OVER TOWN; BUT COULD HUG THE SHORELINE SO HE COULD GET A PICTURE; AT 600 FT. AS WE MADE THE SECOND PASS AND CAME ABEAM THE HOUSE; THE WING GOT IN THE WAY. I DROPPED THE R WING INSTINCTIVELY AND FOUND MYSELF HEADED TOWARD TOWN AT 700 FT MSL. I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A CLB AND CROSSED THE SHORELINE AT 850 FT. THE TOWN OCCUPIES A VERY NARROW STRIP OF LAND AND WAS BISECTED AT THE LOWER THIRD; WHILE CLBING. FARM LAND LIES BEYOND TOWN. THE MISTAKE I MADE WAS NOT ANTICIPATING THE WING OBSTRUCTION AND NOT HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE TO AVOID OVER FLYING THE TOWN BELOW MINIMUM ALT. I ALSO LET MYSELF BE PRESSURED INTO PLEASING THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DESIRES OF MY PAX. I CONSCIENTIOUSLY FOLLOW THE FARS AND AM DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF. I WILL NEVERTHELESS LEARN FROM THIS ONE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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