Narrative:

This is to report a possible violation of a temporary airspace which was established sometime after hurricane opal. The flight originated from sandy creek airport (a private airpark strip). The aircraft was a J3 cub replica (cuby). The aircraft is not radio equipped. The purpose of the flight was to see the damage resulting from hurricane opal. The flight path was from sandy creek to mexico beach, along the beach offshore to just past port st joe over to cape san blas, along the beach offshore, then back to mexico beach, then to a landing at sandy creek. The flight altitude was 200-1500 ft, the lower altitude was over water offshore. I later learned that a temporary restr airspace corridor had been established along the beach. I am unable to determine when this went into effect but believe it was effective some time on oct/xx/95. I realize the pilot is responsible for knowing about NOTAMS in his flight area, but hurricanes don't come along very often, the aircraft has no radio, there were phone lines out, power was off and there was a lot of confusion. A suggestion: in disaster sits like this, the local radio station(south) that are still operating could remind pilots that the airspace in the area may be temporarily restr.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER CUB PLT FLIES INTO A TEMPORARY RESTR AIRSPACE COVERING A HURRICANE DISASTER TO SIGHT-SEE WITHOUT KNOWING THE RESTR HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.

Narrative: THIS IS TO RPT A POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF A TEMPORARY AIRSPACE WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED SOMETIME AFTER HURRICANE OPAL. THE FLT ORIGINATED FROM SANDY CREEK ARPT (A PVT AIRPARK STRIP). THE ACFT WAS A J3 CUB REPLICA (CUBY). THE ACFT IS NOT RADIO EQUIPPED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO SEE THE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM HURRICANE OPAL. THE FLT PATH WAS FROM SANDY CREEK TO MEXICO BEACH, ALONG THE BEACH OFFSHORE TO JUST PAST PORT ST JOE OVER TO CAPE SAN BLAS, ALONG THE BEACH OFFSHORE, THEN BACK TO MEXICO BEACH, THEN TO A LNDG AT SANDY CREEK. THE FLT ALT WAS 200-1500 FT, THE LOWER ALT WAS OVER WATER OFFSHORE. I LATER LEARNED THAT A TEMPORARY RESTR AIRSPACE CORRIDOR HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED ALONG THE BEACH. I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THIS WENT INTO EFFECT BUT BELIEVE IT WAS EFFECTIVE SOME TIME ON OCT/XX/95. I REALIZE THE PLT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING ABOUT NOTAMS IN HIS FLT AREA, BUT HURRICANES DON'T COME ALONG VERY OFTEN, THE ACFT HAS NO RADIO, THERE WERE PHONE LINES OUT, PWR WAS OFF AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION. A SUGGESTION: IN DISASTER SITS LIKE THIS, THE LCL RADIO STATION(S) THAT ARE STILL OPERATING COULD REMIND PLTS THAT THE AIRSPACE IN THE AREA MAY BE TEMPORARILY RESTR.

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.