Helicopter entered temporary restr area thinking he was flying above it.

Attributes
ACN	235699
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : act
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : act
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	235699
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A significant news event occurred at waco, tx, on feb/sun/93. I was dispatched by the tv station to carry a reporter and photographer to that location and get any aerials that we could, then drop the passenger off at the waco airport. About 10 mins before reaching the location, I checked with ft worth FSS concerning any flight restrictions in that area. FSS advised a restr area was in effect up to 3000 ft and a 5 mi radius of the act 100 degree radial/15 DME. I climbed to 3500 ft varying to 3800 ft to obtain aerials of the location. Since a portion of my route was over the cnw waco air traffic area, I maintained at least 3500 ft in that area to remain clear of the air traffic area. I was monitoring waco approach, cnw tower, waco tower, and FSS by continuously rotating frequencys on my 2 VHF radios. After circling about 5 mins, I overheard waco approach advise the restr area was up to 5000 ft. I confirmed this with approach and departed the area. They were apparently miffed at the fact I was in the area. Tv news copters generally get poor ATC service due to obvious dislike to cooperate with the news media.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI ENTERED TEMPORARY RESTR AREA THINKING HE WAS FLYING ABOVE IT.

Narrative: A SIGNIFICANT NEWS EVENT OCCURRED AT WACO, TX, ON FEB/SUN/93. I WAS DISPATCHED BY THE TV STATION TO CARRY A RPTR AND PHOTOGRAPHER TO THAT LOCATION AND GET ANY AERIALS THAT WE COULD, THEN DROP THE PAX OFF AT THE WACO ARPT. ABOUT 10 MINS BEFORE REACHING THE LOCATION, I CHKED WITH FT WORTH FSS CONCERNING ANY FLT RESTRICTIONS IN THAT AREA. FSS ADVISED A RESTR AREA WAS IN EFFECT UP TO 3000 FT AND A 5 MI RADIUS OF THE ACT 100 DEG RADIAL/15 DME. I CLBED TO 3500 FT VARYING TO 3800 FT TO OBTAIN AERIALS OF THE LOCATION. SINCE A PORTION OF MY RTE WAS OVER THE CNW WACO ATA, I MAINTAINED AT LEAST 3500 FT IN THAT AREA TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ATA. I WAS MONITORING WACO APCH, CNW TWR, WACO TWR, AND FSS BY CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING FREQS ON MY 2 VHF RADIOS. AFTER CIRCLING ABOUT 5 MINS, I OVERHEARD WACO APCH ADVISE THE RESTR AREA WAS UP TO 5000 FT. I CONFIRMED THIS WITH APCH AND DEPARTED THE AREA. THEY WERE APPARENTLY MIFFED AT THE FACT I WAS IN THE AREA. TV NEWS COPTERS GENERALLY GET POOR ATC SVC DUE TO OBVIOUS DISLIKE TO COOPERATE WITH THE NEWS MEDIA.

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.