Student pilot practicing descends low over lake. Frightens duck hunters hiding and in camouflage.

Attributes
ACN	155766
Time
Date	199009
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 6d9
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 21 flight time total : 47 flight time type : 46
ASRS Report	155769
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying solo and practicing for my private pilot chkride. I decided to descend to 200' AGL in uncontrolled airspace over a sparsely populated area for a closer look at a group of deer. I continued at this altitude over tawas lake and climbed to clear, by at least 500' 2 boats I saw in the middle of the lake. After landing, I was informed that I had overflown several angry duck hunters at about 200' AGL, who explained they were in camouflage gear in a camouflaged boat, hiding in the reeds, and had startled them and spoiled their hunting. I had no intention of flying closer than 500' to any boat or person as per far part 91.119, but I could not see them, therefore was unable to avoid them. To prevent another similar occurrence, I plan to fly at a minimum of 500' AGL over sparsely populated areas where this is a possibility of concealed hunters/fishermen as required under far part 91.119.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT PRACTICING DESCENDS LOW OVER LAKE. FRIGHTENS DUCK HUNTERS HIDING AND IN CAMOUFLAGE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING SOLO AND PRACTICING FOR MY PVT PLT CHKRIDE. I DECIDED TO DSND TO 200' AGL IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE OVER A SPARSELY POPULATED AREA FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT A GROUP OF DEER. I CONTINUED AT THIS ALT OVER TAWAS LAKE AND CLBED TO CLR, BY AT LEAST 500' 2 BOATS I SAW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE. AFTER LNDG, I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD OVERFLOWN SEVERAL ANGRY DUCK HUNTERS AT ABOUT 200' AGL, WHO EXPLAINED THEY WERE IN CAMOUFLAGE GEAR IN A CAMOUFLAGED BOAT, HIDING IN THE REEDS, AND HAD STARTLED THEM AND SPOILED THEIR HUNTING. I HAD NO INTENTION OF FLYING CLOSER THAN 500' TO ANY BOAT OR PERSON AS PER FAR PART 91.119, BUT I COULD NOT SEE THEM, THEREFORE WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THEM. TO PREVENT ANOTHER SIMILAR OCCURRENCE, I PLAN TO FLY AT A MINIMUM OF 500' AGL OVER SPARSELY POPULATED AREAS WHERE THIS IS A POSSIBILITY OF CONCEALED HUNTERS/FISHERMEN AS REQUIRED UNDER FAR PART 91.119.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.