Cessna 152
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25; Flight Crew Total 124; Flight Crew Type 68
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
On approach to ZZZ from the NW (northwest) after a practice mission to ZZZ1; the ZZZ controller instructed me to 'remain below 2;000 [ft.] and stay west of [the] lake.' I had never flown this route before. I reduced altitude to 1;200 feet; to get close to pattern altitude of 1;039 feet as I approached the airport. My route took me over a small rise in terrain that was higher than I realized. I flew over the rise at approximately 500 feet AGL. Previously I have only flown to the east of this rise.In future I will fly higher or around this rise in order to maintain 1;000 feet clearance.
C152 pilot reported that while flying an unfamiliar route they flew over higher terrain that reduced the amount of vertical clearance the pilot would normally have.