Small Aircraft Buzzing Houses - anybody else experiencing this?

VRWC_Member428 | VRWC_Memberr428

[VRWC_Member428]

This is not a news article yet because I haven't decided wether or not I should give the video to ABC yet.

We live in the outskirts of Spokane, WA. Houses here and there on 10 acre parcels.

For three days in a row (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) a small private aircraft has been flying around our area circling around, and even buzzing a house! The aircraft is a small red single-engine plane, with no visible markings. (There appears to be small numbers on the tail, but they are nowhere near the FAA required 12" size) When it buzzed the house, it couldn't have been more than 20 feet from the top of the house. The aircraft was always flying low, probably never climbing more than 1000 feet above ground level. On Saturday, I got a couple minutes worth of video, including video of the plane buzzing the house.

The fact that there has been a warning put out regarding possible terrorist attacks by way of private planes has really heightened our suspicion. Call the FBI, right?

The FBI gave us the run-around!

We called the FBI on Sunday. They told us to call the Spokane Airport Police. The Spokane Airport Police told us to call Airport Operations. Airport Operations told us to call FAA Flight Standards when they open on Tuesday.

So if you're remaining viligant, the FBI does NOT want to hear from you!

I checked up the FAA regulations today. The plane was in violation of at leats two rules:

Sec. 91.119

Minimum safe altitudes: General.

Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:
(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.
(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.
(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.
(d) Helicopters. Helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section if the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface. In addition, each person operating a helicopter shall comply with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the Administrator.

Sec. 45.29

Size of marks.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, each operator of an aircraft shall display marks on the aircraft meeting the size requirements of this section.
(b) Height. Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this part, the nationality and registration marks must be of equal height and on--
(1) Fixed-wing aircraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except that:
(i) An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November 1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;
(ii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on a glider;
(iii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on an aircraft for which an experimental certificate has been issued under Sec. 21.191(d) or 21.191(g) for operating as an exhibition aircraft or as an amateur-built aircraft when the maximum cruising speed of the aircraft does not exceed 180 knots CAS; and
(iv) Marks may be displayed on an exhibition, antique, or other aircraft in accordance with Sec. 45.22.
(2) Airships, spherical balloons, and nonspherical balloons, must be at least 3 inches high; and
(3) Rotorcraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except that rotorcraft displaying before April 18, 1983, marks required by Sec. 45.29(b)(3) in effect on April 17, 1983, and rotorcraft manufactured on or after April 18, 1983, but before December 31, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed.
(c) Width. Characters must be two-thirds as wide as they are high, except the number "1", which must be one-sixth as wide as it is high, and the letters "M" and "W" which may be as wide as they are high.
(d) Thickness. Characters must be formed by solid lines one-sixth as thick as the character is high.
(e) Spacing. The space between each character may not be less than one-fourth of the character width.
(f) If either one of the surfaces authorized for displaying required marks under Sec. 45.25 is large enough for display of marks meeting the size requirements of this section and the other is not, full-size marks shall be placed on the larger surface. If neither surface is large enough for full- size marks, marks as large as practicable shall be displayed on the larger of the two surfaces. If any surface authorized to be marked by Sec. 45.27 is not large enough for full-size marks, marks as large as practicable shall be placed on the largest of the authorized surfaces.
(g) Uniformity. The marks required by this part for fixed-wing aircraft must have the same height, width, thickness, and spacing on both sides of the aircraft.
(h) After March 7, 1988, each operator of an aircraft penetrating an ADIZ or DEWIZ shall display on that aircraft temporary or permanent nationality and registration marks at least 12 inches high.

I fear that this is an example of why we will suffer further attacks. When you see something suspicious, you get the run-around.

I'm hoping the plane comes back today. I want to get more video of it. But if not, I'm considering wether or not I should give the local news channels my video and my story. I figure if the FBI doesn't want to investigate it now, perhaps they'll look into it once the entire country sees this video.

Probably, this guy isn't a terrorist, but rather an idiot out joy-riding. But even so, he needs to be fined or have his license revoked for rekless flying.

Think about it. If you saw somebody driving reclessly on the road, you can call the police, and they'll catch the guy as soon as they can find him. BUT, if you see somebody FLYING reklessly in an AIRPLANE, you have to wait till some beaurecratic office opens on Tuesday to do anything about it! (Considering they don't tell us to go somewhere else)

Does anybody else out there have any comments or suggestions on what we should do about this?

[tom paine 2]

We live about 30 miles south of Green Bay, and we are in the flight path to Austin Straubel Airport. Planes are flying over our house every day. Truly frightening!

[Inge_CAV]

The next time it happens call your local police and report the plane. They may have an officer in your neighborhood that can witness the buzzing.

More than likely it is just a new pilot out to impress his girlfriend or wife with his new flying skills. Or you may have an attractive neighbor that sunbathes nude by her pool.

[BlackbirdSST]

See if it comes back after a dose of .30 caliber fire!!!!
Blackbird.

[Squawk 8888]

It could be less sinister than you think- ignorance rather than malevolence. From your description it sounds like an advanced ultralight (two seats, ~1000 lb). Circling points and buzzing houses sounds like a couple of fairly common training exercises (ground reference, forced landing) so he may not be aware that he's chosen the wrong place. What is the neighbourhood like- are there lots of open fields around?

As for how to follow up, you have a couple of options. The FAA has a flight service number that operates 24/7, call 1-800-WX-BRIEF. You could also check the flight training firms at the local airport, they usually don't take kindly to students annoying the neighbours.

This thread reminds me again that GA regs in the USA are a bit too loosey-goosey for my liking. As a minimum I think they should require a licence for ultralight pilots.

[snopercod]

It's probably just a young man buzzing his girlfriend.

Go back to watching Oprah and stop all this foolish hysteria.

[Jethro Tull]

Is the plane flying in and out of the chemtrails?

[Movemout]

I live about 60 miles west of DC. We get a lot of single engine planes flying around on a nice day. I think it's a nice view of the mountains from our valley and reasonably close to Leesburg airport if they should experience any difficulty.

Year before last I took particular notice of one aircraft who hung around for several autumn days and constantly varied attitude. The only thing I could imagine was that some kind of surveillance was taking place for unknown (to me) reasons.

About a month later I came home and my wife showed me a framed photograph that she had purchased from a fellow who drove up to our rural 10 acre spread. It was an aerial view of our property with the oak trees in autumn splendor. I surmised that this was the aircraft that was buzzing around earlier. He was hustling for a buck.

[CWRWinger]

"This thread reminds me again that GA regs in the USA are a bit too loosey-goosey for my liking. As a minimum I think they should require a licence for ultralight pilots."

Leave the ultralights allow. It's the government personnel who are too 'loosey-goosey'.

[rabidralph]

After you get some info about the airplane, you can try going to Landings.com and clicking on Databases. You can look up the N-number (not to be confused with the N-word) and see who owns the plane. You can also search for NTSB reports about air crashes and incidents. I hope it's nothing. Also, I would definitely take your tape and info to the local media and have them ask why you're getting the run-around. They can also research the proper procedure to follow when anybody wants to report something suspicious like what you've experienced.

[snooker]

The old farts at the boys 'play airport' do this all the time where I live. Kind of juvenile, but they do it anyway. Since the 9/11 event they seem to enjoy flying closer than allowed just to scare people.

I went to the local airport and complained that the planes were flying too low over our house. The result, they laughed at me. Told me to call the FAA. Called, it is a joke.

So I fixed their wagon good. Found out I lived near a bird santuary. No one knew. So I called the local citizens group, told them the pilots are buzzing the birds. Called the state wildlife guys as well. Went back to the airport head idiot gave him the rags for bird santuary areas. He turned red as a beet. The regs are now on the airport playpen wall.

Guess what, now their runway expansion is in jeopardy, the bird wackos are all over their a$$. Runway expansion is delayed, looks like years from what I can tell.

Find a bird sanrauary or wildlife area, live next to it. Enviro wackos will keep the planes away. AT last I found a use for the wackos. Now they come out every few days and check the santuary, count the birds.

The planes need to stay further away from the birds than they did people ... go figure. But the planes buzzing the house are gone.

tarpon

[VRWC_Member428]

Okay, I can see that further explanation is in order.

Jlogajan, southack:

The plane appears to be a standard 1-engine airplane with fixed landing gear. About the same size as a Cessna, but I can't tell exactly what the make is. The cockpit is fully enclosed.

Draakan,

How many law enforcement planes fly 30 feet above the ground, and fly within 20 feet of the roofs of houses? And how many of them circle several times around the area of ten or so acres? Ever been out to a lake, and have the guys on the jet skis go back and forth in the same spot for about thirty minutes? That's what it's like. And I don't think we're the target of an attack. It's probably just some hot-shot moron. But there is such a thing called practice.

Mensius,

Did he spend several minutes flying 30-300 feet above the ground, making tight turns within about 300 feet of the ground?

Eska,

This isn't a guy flying straight. This is a guy circling around and around, all the while never getting more than about 1000 feet above ground. I'd say average altitude was 100-300 feet.

Hitech rednek,

I did try to read the numbers using binoculars. But the numbers appear to be only 2-3" tall. (unable to read) I couldn't even read the numbers after using a camera with a 22x optical zoom.

Squawk 8888,

There are lots of fields around, but he chooses to fly over houses and other miscellaneous structures rather than fields.

Movemount,

And these planes, do they make it a habit to fly 20 feet above the rooftops? While making several sharp turns?

Like I said, even though it probably isn't terrorist activity, what this pilot is doing is ILLEGAL. He is much closer than 500 feet to people and buildings. And he's nowhere near an airport.

And above all, again I say think of that jet ski that circles around and around while you try to fish. Now think of that being in the air and close to your house. That's not the least bit annoying?

[Catspaw]

We live about 30 miles south of Green Bay, and we are in the flight path to Austin Straubel Airport. Planes are flying over our house every day. Truly frightening!

We're also on the flight path to Austin Straubel--and see med evac helicopters and DNR small planes flying over us as well--but it's nothing compared to the air traffic during the EAA convention. Now THAT'S air traffic!

[Mean Daddy]

Call the FBI and tell them not to worry, because you think your .30-.06 can reach the plane.

[usconservative]

March right to your local TV station(s) with copies of the video and ask to see the News Producer for the station. Let him/her know point blank you have video of an unmarked plane buzzing homes, that you tried contacting the FBI per our President's instructions to "stay vigilant" and that the FBI has been non-responsive, non-corroborative.

Here's the best part: what potential terrorist TARGET do you live within an hour of? Let the TV Station(s) know that you fear a terrorist attack based on the latest Homeland Defense warning that small aircraft will be used in the attacks, what you feel may be attacked in your area, then hand them a copy of the video.

Wanna bet that gets results?

[wattsmag2]

Do you have any nude sunbathing neighbors?

[Jay W]

I have personally been targetted by Osama bin Laden at least twelve times today. The latest example of his relentless skullduggery is that my Amex card snapped in two in my wallet.

When I heard that one of the warnings involved scuba divers, I wondered if the terrorists would use carrier pigeons and target bird feeders everywhere? I went out and saw a bird feeder, and there was grain strewn all over. It could have been a squirrel, but I figure that bin Laden and his men tried to attack the feeder! Such skullduggery!

[TomB]

A patient of mine is an aide to the local US Comgressman. He told me about a man who kept calling the office complaining that "the government" was buzzing his house in small aircraft. Eventually they gave in and drove out to investigate.

Yep, he lived at the end of a runway of one of the local airports.

[meenie]

The scuba diving threat has us especially worried in the drought stricken Northern plains. Everbody is on the lookout for a man dressed in a wet suit rambling around in our parched grasses and fields. If we find him, you can rest assured the FBI will know about it.

[lowbridge]

Small Aircraft Buzzing Houses - anybody else experiencing this?

No such luck. All I get are these dumb looking UFO's