Small aircraft low flight probably violates far.

Attributes
ACN	276570
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 63s
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 300
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 460 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	276570
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 250 vertical : 250
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying a cessna 206 over lake roosevelt in northeast washington state. The WX was excellent with unlimited visibility and no wind. At the time of the event/situation I was taking 2 passenger on a sight-seeing tour of the lake area. Being so remote and so far from a large population, the upper lake roosevelt area is typically only lightly traveled by boat traffic. Therefore I felt that flying low (200-300 ft) over the lake would not put me within the 500 ft limit of any boat traffic. However, I came around a blind corner and sitting just inside a point was a group of boats (6-10) either anchored or drifting just off shore. My altitude of 200-300 ft and distance (horizontally) of 200-300 ft when I passed them might possibly have put me within the 500 ft distance from boat traffic rule as set by the FAA. No corrective action was taken due to the limited warning. My suggestion for prevention of future sits like this one is to not assume that even the most remote areas do not run the risk of being populated by people.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOW FLT PROBABLY VIOLATES FAR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A CESSNA 206 OVER LAKE ROOSEVELT IN NE WASHINGTON STATE. THE WX WAS EXCELLENT WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY AND NO WIND. AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT/SIT I WAS TAKING 2 PAX ON A SIGHT-SEEING TOUR OF THE LAKE AREA. BEING SO REMOTE AND SO FAR FROM A LARGE POPULATION, THE UPPER LAKE ROOSEVELT AREA IS TYPICALLY ONLY LIGHTLY TRAVELED BY BOAT TFC. THEREFORE I FELT THAT FLYING LOW (200-300 FT) OVER THE LAKE WOULD NOT PUT ME WITHIN THE 500 FT LIMIT OF ANY BOAT TFC. HOWEVER, I CAME AROUND A BLIND CORNER AND SITTING JUST INSIDE A POINT WAS A GROUP OF BOATS (6-10) EITHER ANCHORED OR DRIFTING JUST OFF SHORE. MY ALT OF 200-300 FT AND DISTANCE (HORIZLY) OF 200-300 FT WHEN I PASSED THEM MIGHT POSSIBLY HAVE PUT ME WITHIN THE 500 FT DISTANCE FROM BOAT TFC RULE AS SET BY THE FAA. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN DUE TO THE LIMITED WARNING. MY SUGGESTION FOR PREVENTION OF FUTURE SITS LIKE THIS ONE IS TO NOT ASSUME THAT EVEN THE MOST REMOTE AREAS DO NOT RUN THE RISK OF BEING POPULATED BY PEOPLE.

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.