A PLT FLYING HIS HOME BUILT FOR THE LCL SHERIFF DEPT IS ACCUSED BY A HOME OWNER OF FLYING TOO LOW OVER HIS PROPERTY DURING THE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION NEAR CHS; SC.

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ON THE MORNING IN QUESTION; I WAS PIC OF A VSTOL ACFT BUILT BY ME AND REGISTERED IN THE HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY. SINCE MAY/98; IT HAS BEEN OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY BY ME FOR A VOLUNTEER SEARCH AND RESCUE COMPANY; UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND FLOWN AS A PUBLIC USE ACFT. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SHERIFF; I AND ANOTHER OFFICER OF THE SEARCH AND RESCUE UNIT WERE FLYING THE ACFT ON A WK LONG SHARED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM MISSION TO VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA; INCLUDING THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WHILE BRIEFING FOR THE DAY'S ACTIVITIES; SHERIFF RECEIVED FROM NEIGHBORING COUNTY SHERIFF A REQUEST FOR AIR SUPPORT; TO ASSIST IN A SEARCH FOR AN ALZHEIMER'S PATIENT MISSING FROM HOSPITAL FACILITIES IN HIS COUNTY. AN ELDERLY WOMAN HAD BEEN MISSING OVERNIGHT; AND OFFICIALS AT THE HOSPITAL WERE CONCERNED THAT SHE COULD EASILY DIE FROM EXPOSURE IF NOT FOUND QUICKLY. OVERNIGHT TEMPS HAD BEEN NEAR FREEZING. UPON ARRIVING AT THE SCENE OF THE SEARCH; WE OBSERVED A POLICE COMMAND POST; MADE OBVIOUS BY 5-10 LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLES; INCLUDING AT LEAST 2 MOTORCYCLE UNITS; LOCATED IN THE CORNER OF A FIELD ACROSS FROM THE HOSPITAL. MY CREWMAN ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH THE COMMAND POST AND WE WERE IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED TO LAND AND BRIEF FOR THE SEARCH. THE LNDG REQUEST WAS UNANTICIPATED; BUT I BELIEVED; IN GOOD FAITH; THAT THE OFFICER IN CHARGE AT THE COMMAND POST HAD OBTAINED ANY NECESSARY PERMISSION FOR THIS OP AND THAT HE HAD THE AUTH TO REQUEST MY LNDG THERE. I RPTED TO APCH CTL THAT WE WERE IN THE SEARCH AREA AND WOULD BE LNDG. THIS INFO WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO CHK IN WHEN AIRBORNE AGAIN. DUE TO THE LIMITED AREA AVAILABLE FOR LNDG AND THE WIND CONDITIONS EXISTING AT THE TIME; I CHKED OUT THE APCH COURSE CAREFULLY; MAKING 2 APCHS BEFORE LNDG ON THE THIRD. THE POLICE OFFICERS AND SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ON THE GND SECURED THE LNDG AREA PRIOR TO THESE APCHS AND THE ONLY TIME THE ACFT WAS OPERATED BELOW 1000 FT AGL WAS WHILE MAKING THESE APCHS AND DURING THE SUBSEQUENT TKOF AND DEP. LATER THAT AFTERNOON; DURING THE SECOND SEARCH; I WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAA HAD RECEIVED A COMPLAINT OF AN ACFT FLYING LOW IN THE VICINITY OF THE FIRST SEARCH AREA; AND THAT THEY REQUIRED INFO IN THIS REGARD FROM ME; AS PLT; AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE; AS THE RESPONSIBLE AGENCY. AT THIS POINT; THIS MATTER SEEMS TO CONCERN ONLY A COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO LIFE; LIMB OR PROPERTY AND; IN MY OPINION; THERE WAS NO HAZARD TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY ON THE GND OR IN THE AIR. SINCE THE COMPLAINT APPEARS TO HAVE DEVELOPED FROM LNDG AND/OR TKOF OPS; WITH LNDG PERMISSION GRANTED; I AM NOT AND WAS NOT AT THE TIME AWARE OF ANY VIOLATIONS OF LAW OR FARS. THE ONLY ACTION THAT I CAN THINK OF TO AVOID POSSIBLE RECURRENCES OF THIS SORT OF INCIDENT MIGHT BE TO ATTEMPT BETTER COORD BTWN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ATC AGENCIES INVOLVED.