GA pilots have been cited for delaying presidents, clearing the Capitol and stopping missile tests but a Minnesota floatplane owner may be the only one to be detained for interrupting a golf game. The unidentified man and his passenger were rowed to shore by Chaska Police (the motor on their boat failed) after they landed on Lake Hazeltine, the centerpiece of Hazeltine National, site of this year’s Ryder Cup. Landing on a body of water is rather commonplace in Minnesota, which has more than 10,000 lakes, but putting down next to the seventh hole of Hazeltine and dropping anchor apparently violated a bunch of rules, starting with the local ordinance against any activity on the lake during the big tournament. The duo was cited by police for the infraction a day after two canoeists were similarly busted.
That won’t be the end of it, for the duo, though. “But there are more things looming in the pilot’s future,” Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “The FAA Flight Standards division is very interested in him. He’s violated their rules and they will be talking to him on Monday.” It’s not clear what violations might have occurred. There was no NOTAM or TFR listed that we could find. Knight called the actions “imbecilic” and the aircraft was effectively impounded because it was left at anchor in the lake. But the aerial-borne golf fans may have had the last laugh. After getting their tickets from the police they were apparently left “afoot” to watch the U.S. team win the prestigious tournament from shore.
