Close Call With Manned Aircraft

[JohnLietzke]

Hi all,

Today I was flying in Pacific Beach, California over the surfline and ocean. Other than taking off or landing I tend to stay over the water and not directly over or too near surfers and waders. I had VLOS of the Mavic, given it was only 1350 feet way and 75 feet in altitude. The airspace is unrestricted and therefore max altitude of 400 feet. I could visually see the Mavic, which sometimes is difficult at greater than 500 feet because of the contrasting backdrop of the sky. There is a pier, roughly 200 feet away, that I was planning to yaw along to practice video shooting.

While lining up to shoot the yaw along the pier I received a notification of a manned aircraft and checked it on the map. I assumed it was from San Diego Airport or Coronado Naval Base and could not visually see the aircraft. Within 20 seconds I started to receive a notification that a Manned Aircraft was Too Close. A few seconds later the small personal plane came around the edge of cliffside. It was hugging the beach line and flying very low.

I took evasive action and dropped the Mavic to 32 feet above the ocean, roughly the height of the pier, and headed for the shoreline. The pier is roughly 2000 feet with about 1300 feet in the water and I was about halfway down it.

The plane was flying very low, well below 400 feet. I would estimate it at less than 250 feet. Based on the flying the Mavic afterwards at 150 feet in the same location it appeared to be the same height. It crossed over the pier and and continued flying at that height. As I stated before there were surfers out in the water about halfway down the pier, the pier had people on it along with hotel structures.

This seems incredible dangerous for a manned personal aircraft to be flying this low so close to a pier with people on it and surfers in the water. There is a distinct difference between a 1.5 lbs drone and small aircraft in regards to safety and consequences of a crash.

I have attached two screenshots of the flight log.

I am seeking advice on whether to report this to FAA. My panic is not relevant in comparison to the hazard it poses to the people in close proximity to the aircraft's flight path. Did I do anything wrong?

s

 

[old man mavic]

at the distance you were from where you saw the aircraft ,it would be very difficult to really accurately estimate its height ,its hard enough to estimate your drones height at distance never mind another aircraft ,you made the correct response ,and reduced your height ,i personally would leave it there ,and move on

 

[Tentoes]

I think once you descended to 35 ft you would be fine to just wait for it to pass. Good thing it had ADS. Many low fliers around here do not.

 

[RuudF]

I imagine that this is controlled airspace.
If the plane was too low under the assigned flight level it is certainly already been reported to the FAA.
I don't see any reason for you to contact the FAA.

Ruud

 

[JohnLietzke]

Most of San Diego is no fly or 0 altitude due to all the airports and Military bases. This is one of the few unrestricted areas. If it was a military craft I would have thought nothing of it. Their pilots are top notch and train for unorthodox situations.

I was just looking out from my place over the harbor and saw an Osprey flying with it's wings vertical at below the height of my unit which is 340 feet. Right now I can see multiple Sikorsky Sea Hawks flying over the harbor at different altitude.

You are right, the FAA will have records of the flight and the pilot probably had approval. This would be the worst place to go off the reservation given the amount of air traffic and entities monitoring the area.

I guess the crux of the matter is, as an exemption operator do I have a fiduciary duty to report the close call? It was scary close. My bird shuttered from the turbulence. Unfortunately, I was not recording at the time.

 

[Thomas B]

Most of San Diego is no fly or 0 altitude due to all the airports and Military bases. This is one of the few unrestricted areas. If it was a military craft I would have thought nothing of it. Their pilots are top notch and train for unorthodox situations.

I was just looking out from my place over the harbor and saw an Osprey flying with it's wings vertical at below the height of my unit which is 340 feet. Right now I can see multiple Sikorsky Sea Hawks flying over the harbor at different altitude.

You are right, the FAA will have records of the flight and the pilot probably had approval. This would be the worst place to go off the reservation given the amount of air traffic and entities monitoring the area.

I guess the crux of the matter is, as an exemption operator do I have a fiduciary duty to report the close call? It was scary close. My bird shuttered from the turbulence. Unfortunately, I was not recording at the time.

based on what you posted, I’d leave well enough alone.

 

[Miataguy]

If the plane was too low under the assigned flight level it is certainly already been reported to the FAA.
I don't see any reason for you to contact the FAA.

What if everyone assumed it had been reported?

Just sayin'.

 

[Thomas B]

What if everyone assumed it had been reported?

Just sayin'.

Interesting question... Likely moot w/o the tail number to report.

 

[Miataguy]

I was at a friends house a few weeks back, sitting outside having cocktails, when I saw aircraft lights that looked like they were coming right at us at a very low altitude. I was a bit frightened as I really thought it might be in distress.

I opened my Flightradar24 app, and saw that it was flying at 175 feet. I took a screen shot.

I contacted the FAA, sent them the screen shot, and they investigated. After about a week, they got back to me and said it was a mosquito control aircraft that was permitted to fly at that low altitude over residential areas.

 

[spamgnome]

It's "possible" that the aircraft was flying legally, although if it flew over the pier and people, then it was not. Here's the relevant passage from the FARs. Bolding is mine. I fly single engine aircraft as well, and I HAVE flown over water near a beach below 100 feet. Fun, but probably not the best idea.

§ 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General.
(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

 

[Thomas B]

It's "possible" that the aircraft was flying legally, although if it flew over the pier and people, then it was not. Here's the relevant passage from the FARs. Bolding is mine. I fly single engine aircraft as well, and I HAVE flown over water near a beach below 100 feet. Fun, but probably not the best idea.

§ 91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General.
(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

Read the post by the OP immediately above yours (post #9). FAA approved airplane flight.

 

[spamgnome]

Read the post by the OP immediately above yours (post #9). FAA approved airplane flight.

I don't think that's the OP.

 

[Thomas B]

I don't think that's the OP.

Apologies to all. @spamgnome you are correct.

 

[hiflyer201]

Crystal Pier(YCSCP) is a VFR reporting point that is under the 1800 to 10000 ft section of the San Diego Class B and just north or the Surface to ten thousand ft. section. I assume that you knew that you were close to restricted airspace yourself. Your estimate of his altitude is only a guess. He had to have ADS B to fly in that area and his altitude was being reported to ATC..who were in fact probably vectoring him. I would be very cautious about flying a drone that close to Class B airspace that goes to the surface.

 

[CarlsbadAL]

FYI ! Lots of cool places to fly in San Diego County. Why deal with all the airspace issues in that area ?
Go North County , Del mar ,Solana Beach, Cardiff by the sea , Encinitas , Leucadia and my favorite Carlsbad !!!
AL

 

[Tentoes]

Crystal Pier(YCSCP) is a VFR reporting point that is under the 1800 to 10000 ft section of the San Diego Class B and just north or the Surface to ten thousand ft. section. I assume that you knew that you were close to restricted airspace yourself. Your estimate of his altitude is only a guess. He had to have ADS B to fly in that area and his altitude was being reported to ATC..who were in fact probably vectoring him. I would be very cautious about flying a drone that close to Class B airspace that goes to the surface. View attachment 115109

Hmm. Amazing how a sectional arbitrates arguments! (as if we were arguing)

 

[henrysunderland]

I have had the same experience in Pacific Beach and other areas around the coastline. I always get below 50 feet when something is approaching and that should be plenty of clearance from the aircraft. It does seem dangerous for recreational aircraft to be flying so low over people. But I would not get involved with the FAA on this - they already know and are okay with the altitude of these flights over the San Diego beaches.

 

[RussDrone]

In the NH lakes region, planes fly at tree top level when seeking to land on the lake. There are also ultra-lights which fly at tree-top level and lower when over water. As a result, I fly very early before they begin flying on weekends. Unfortunately, I need to fly below tree top level and away from trees so that my VLOS is adequate. When not near a lake, there is more flexibility.

 

[nhgill960]

I was at a friends house a few weeks back, sitting outside having cocktails, when I saw aircraft lights that looked like they were coming right at us at a very low altitude. I was a bit frightened as I really thought it might be in distress.

I opened my Flightradar24 app, and saw that it was flying at 175 feet. I took a screen shot.

I contacted the FAA, sent them the screen shot, and they investigated. After about a week, they got back to me and said it was a mosquito control aircraft that was permitted to fly at that low altitude over residential areas.

Flightradar24 is great and useful. I also use flight aware because it gives me the entire flight plan of the aircraft.

 

[Flynz]

I would get the tail number and call the closest tower or/and FAA. At the very least have a chat and get clarity on their expectations.

I am not familiar with zero ceiling flight zones. Where I come from its 500 feet unless in a designated low flying training zone, which are all over farm land. Our military do fly low, but a long way from civilisation.

I also fly my MP at a beach in the Coromandel in New Zealand. We get aircraft flying low along the surf line. Must be a nice view, but separation with my 400 ft ceiling gets challenged, I think. As pointed out in the comments altitude can be hard to judge. But at 50ft AGL you are bound to be safe.

Of course the real problem is choppers which are allowed to fly approaches to private land. And do around me from time to time. Run and hide at that point...

Safe flying.