PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL IS ACCUSED OF FLYING BELOW THE MSA OVER A HOUSING PROJECT.

Narrative

AFTER COMPLETING A FLT TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF A CONSTRUCTION SITE I RETURNED TO THE ARPT THAT I DEPARTED FROM FFZ. UPON MY RETURN I WAS INFORMED THAT A COMPLAINT HAD BEEN PLACED WITH THE FBO THAT I HAD RENTED FROM IN REF TO MY FLT. THE COMPLAINT WAS PLACED BY A GND OBSERVER THAT FELT THAT MY FLT WAS BELOW THE 1000 FT MINIMUM FOR FLT OVER A POPULATED AREA. I AM CONFIDENT THAT I WAS NOT BELOW 1000 FT; BUT I ALSO SEE THE NEED FOR MYSELF AS A PLT TO CHK AND DOUBLE-CHK ALL ASPECTS OF MY FLTS INCLUDING ALT. I WILL BE DOING JUST THAT; AND IN THE FUTURE PERHAPS THIS TYPE OF POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDING WILL NOT TAKE PLACE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THIS MATTER HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE FAA AND AS A RESULT HE HAS RECEIVED AN FAA LETTER PROPOSING A 180 DAY PLT CERTIFICATE SUSPENSION OF WHICH HE IS NOT PLEASED. HE WOULD RATHER HAVE A CIVIL PENALTY THAN A SUSPENSION. HE SAYS THAT THERE IS REASON FOR HIM TO BELIEVE THAT HE COULD HAVE GONE UP TO A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FT LOWER; BUT THAT IT WAS NOT DELIBERATE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE FAA WAS CHARGING HIM WITH VIOLATION OF BEING BELOW 1000 FT OVER A CONGESTED AREA AND WITH CARELESS AND RECKLESS. ALSO; THAT THE COMPLAINANT HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF ACFT FLYING OVER THE AREA AND IS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO USE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE FAA.