Well flying out to the desert today I spotted a fire or smoke I guess, about 10 out from the fire. So I called So. Cal. Approach and asked if they had any reports or fire or TFR's using my N number. The controller said, Negative push Ident she says. So I pushed the Ident button and got to the fire and circled about 3x before i saw a CDF helo approach. I moved on at that point.

Hmmm hope I don't get a phone call or letter soon asking about my actions, Will I

No good deed goes unpunished.

Glidergeek wrote:Well flying out to the desert today I spotted a fire or smoke I guess, about 10 out from the fire. So I called So. Cal. Approach and asked if they had any reports or fire or TFR's using my N number. The controller said, Negative push Ident she says. So I pushed the Ident button and got to the fire and circled about 3x before i saw a CDF helo approach. I moved on at that point.

Hmmm hope I don't get a phone call or letter soon asking about my actions, Will I

Well, she did say no fires and no TFR's. I wouldn't worry about it. Did you happen to note what time and freq you called? Wouldn't hurt just in case.

Now if it were a CAP plane, I'd be shittin bricks!!!

I spotted a fire in the woods near where I live. Orbiting overhead, I could see that someone had set a car ablaze. Pretty dry time of the year, and I didn't want to see a bunch of timber get burnt up, so I called the closest ATC facility (Navy Whidbey) and reported it, and asked them to call the local fire department. Heard them on their freq a few minutes later asking a Dash-8 airliner to verify the smoke, then later I saw some fire dept rigs at the location.
Just being a good citizen IMHO, same as you.

I would consider filling out a NASA ASRS form. I am not certain of the details, but I have heard that if an airman is found in violation of a regulation, the penalties can be waived if this form is submitted.

Can anyone who knows elaborate on this?

With ever increasing regulation, we can always be found guilty and nailed to the wall by the administrator.

When flying and seeing a fire or something that is not right , report it.
You did the right thing.

Ken in Alaska

akflyer2001 wrote:When flying and seeing a fire or something that is not right , report it.
You did the right thing.

Ken in Alaska

I'm pretty sure I did the right thing, I've heard too many incursion war stories. I hadn't got a preflight briefing and thought shoot what if I'm flying into a TFR. Today I flew the same route but got a briefing and no reported TFR's and nothing showing on the GPS or IPad. There had been Phos Chek dropped on it and CDF ground units attending it, they made short work of it yesterday.

You can tell Ken's an old-school Alaskan. Help people first; worry about the beurocrats later. I'm with him. The OP did the right thing. Shame when BS makes us too chickenshit to do the right thing.
-DP