R22 HELI WAS OPERATED IN A PUBLIC USE RECREATION AREA.

Narrative

I WAS ON A HOLIDAY IN THE AREA OF XYZ. THIS IS A PUBLIC USE RECREATION AREA UNDER THE CTL OF THE PARK SVC. MY FAMILY AND I WERE CAMPING WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS IN MOTOR HOMES. WE WERE WITH ANOTHER GROUP CAMPED ABOUT 5 MI AWAY; WE SHARED A ROBINSON R22 HELI. I WENT TO THEIR CAMP AND ACQUIRED THE HELI. ON THE SECOND RIDE OF THE DAY; THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE CONDITIONS WERE CAVU; AND THE AIRSPACE IS CLASS G. MY WIFE ASKED TO BE TAKEN TO AN AREA KNOWN AS THE XXX. THIS IS AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE GATHER WITH THEIR SAND CARS AND AMUSE ONE ANOTHER. I DID A HIGH RECONNAISSANCE TO DETERMINE A SAFE COURSE. I SET UP SO I WAS PARALLEL TO THE DRAGS AND ALSO VERIFIED THAT I WAS SAFELY OFFSET FROM THE PERSONS ON THE GND. I DID A LOW PASS OVER THE AREA AT ABOUT 40 KTS. WE CLBED BACK UP TO CRUISE ALT AND HEADED BACK TO CAMP. UPON OUR RETURN TO CAMP; AFTER SHUTTING DOWN THE HELI; I SAW A JET RANGER CIRCLING OVERHEAD. TO MY SURPRISE IT WAS STILL ON STATION WHEN IT WAS JOINED BY A CHP CESSNA ACFT. A FEW MORE MINS PASSED WHEN I COULD SEE SEVERAL CARS WITH LIGHT BARS LIT COMING DOWN THE ROAD TOWARDS OUR CAMP. NO LESS THAN 4 ORGANIZATIONS; INCLUDING THE FBI; INS; PARK SVC; AND CHP HAD PULLED UP TO US. THE LCL AIR SUPPORT CHIEF ASKED TO SEE MY PLT CERTIFICATE; MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND ACFT DOCUMENTS. AS IT TURNS OUT; THEY HAD 2 DAYS PRIOR ASKED THE OTHER GROUP TO MAINTAIN 1500 FT OVER THE AREA. I BELIEVE THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION AT FIRST THAT THE HELI WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE OTHER GROUP. THEY ASKED ME IF I KNEW OF THE WARNING; I DID NOT. ALTHOUGH I DID NOT CHALLENGE THE AIR SUPPORT CHIEF; I BELIEVE I WAS WITHIN THE CFR 91.119; MINIMUM SAFE ALTS; SUBPARAGRAPH (D). I BELIEVE MY ACTIONS WERE CONDUCTED IN A SAFE MANNER.