Narrative:

Violation of temporary class D airspace around a sporting event, 5/xb/98. Because the altoona, PA, FSS failed to inform me of the temporary class D airspace, I inadvertently violated the airspace while observing the event, circling at 1200 ft. When I dial 1-800-wxbrief, I usually get the altoona, PA, FSS and sometimes the elkins, wv, FSS even though I am much closer to leesburg, va. I anticipated the possibility of temporary airspace or airspace restrictions around this event. I asked the altoona FSS about this three times, on the following dates: 4/xa/98, 5/xa/98, and 5/xa/98. This can be verified by checking under my registration number. On 5/xa/98 and 5/xb/98, I asked specifically for any NOTAMS or information about airspace pertaining to the sporting event or the position from the baltimore VOR, which is 17 NM on the balance 135 radial. In all three calls, the altoona FSS told me there was no NOTAM or airspace restriction. After leaving the area, I tuned to the unicom frequency of a local airport and heard other pilots discussing the temporary class D. Incidentally, based on the radio conversation, other pilots appeared to have not been informed of the airspace either. Corrective actions: I believe that I have faithfully exercised my duty to obtain preflight information by anticipating this possibility and by asking about it three times before the event. On 5/xa/98 and 5/xb/98, I asked about this repeatedly and tenaciously using every logical description. On 5/xb/98, in addition to asking about the whitbread airspace, I also got a standard briefing for a VFR flight from cge to haysfield, a private strip west of bwi. This NOTAM should have come up in that briefing even without my specific question as part of coverage for that route. Therefore, I cannot think of any corrective action that I can take. A subsequent call to the altoona FSS supervisor yielded the fact that there was a NOTAM under 'annapolis,' which is not appropriate for the location or the event. The FAA FSS NOTAM system failed to distribute this information properly. This extremely important information was so well hidden that even my specific question did not bring it to light. Corrective action must be taken by the FAA or FSS network to ensure that this sort of information is adequately visible. Contributing factors: I believe the fact that I always get connected to a distant FSS which is not familiar with local airspace, geography, and events may have contributed to this event. Corrective action should be taken to connect FSS callers with nearby FSS's. Conclusion: it is absolutely unacceptable that a conscientious pilot could anticipate this, ask an FSS about this three times, and not be properly informed. This must not happen again. Please contact me and tell me what corrective action will be taken to address this situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that he heard about the NOTAM returning from the penetrated area through unicom by other pilots and someone at the airport on unicom stating that the NOTAM distribution had not been very good. He went on to say how disappointed he was with the FSS service and the lack of caring expressed by the FSS supervisor. He further stated that if a nearby FSS could handle the briefings that the specialist's knowledge of local area would have prompted knowledge of the NOTAM and would have probably been given to him during the briefing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT INSTRUMENT RATED PLT UNKNOWINGLY PENETRATED CLASS D AIRSPACE WHEN CIRCLING AT 1200 FT OVER A SPORTING EVENT. THERE WAS A TEMPORARY TWR ESTABLISHED AT A NON TWR ARPT CONTROLLING TRAFFIC UP TO 2000 FT. RPTR HAD CHECKED WITH FSS ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS STARTING PRIOR TO AND UP TO THE DAY OF THE EVENT, HOWEVER, FSS DID NOT PROVIDE NOTAM INFO EVEN THOUGH THE EVENT AND LOCATION WERE SPECIFIED.

Narrative: VIOLATION OF TEMPORARY CLASS D AIRSPACE AROUND A SPORTING EVENT, 5/XB/98. BECAUSE THE ALTOONA, PA, FSS FAILED TO INFORM ME OF THE TEMPORARY CLASS D AIRSPACE, I INADVERTENTLY VIOLATED THE AIRSPACE WHILE OBSERVING THE EVENT, CIRCLING AT 1200 FT. WHEN I DIAL 1-800-WXBRIEF, I USUALLY GET THE ALTOONA, PA, FSS AND SOMETIMES THE ELKINS, WV, FSS EVEN THOUGH I AM MUCH CLOSER TO LEESBURG, VA. I ANTICIPATED THE POSSIBILITY OF TEMPORARY AIRSPACE OR AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS AROUND THIS EVENT. I ASKED THE ALTOONA FSS ABOUT THIS THREE TIMES, ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: 4/XA/98, 5/XA/98, AND 5/XA/98. THIS CAN BE VERIFIED BY CHECKING UNDER MY REGISTRATION NUMBER. ON 5/XA/98 AND 5/XB/98, I ASKED SPECIFICALLY FOR ANY NOTAMS OR INFO ABOUT AIRSPACE PERTAINING TO THE SPORTING EVENT OR THE POSITION FROM THE BALTIMORE VOR, WHICH IS 17 NM ON THE BAL 135 RADIAL. IN ALL THREE CALLS, THE ALTOONA FSS TOLD ME THERE WAS NO NOTAM OR AIRSPACE RESTRICTION. AFTER LEAVING THE AREA, I TUNED TO THE UNICOM FREQUENCY OF A LOCAL ARPT AND HEARD OTHER PLTS DISCUSSING THE TEMPORARY CLASS D. INCIDENTALLY, BASED ON THE RADIO CONVERSATION, OTHER PLTS APPEARED TO HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE AIRSPACE EITHER. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE FAITHFULLY EXERCISED MY DUTY TO OBTAIN PREFLT INFO BY ANTICIPATING THIS POSSIBILITY AND BY ASKING ABOUT IT THREE TIMES BEFORE THE EVENT. ON 5/XA/98 AND 5/XB/98, I ASKED ABOUT THIS REPEATEDLY AND TENACIOUSLY USING EVERY LOGICAL DESCRIPTION. ON 5/XB/98, IN ADDITION TO ASKING ABOUT THE WHITBREAD AIRSPACE, I ALSO GOT A STANDARD BRIEFING FOR A VFR FLT FROM CGE TO HAYSFIELD, A PRIVATE STRIP W OF BWI. THIS NOTAM SHOULD HAVE COME UP IN THAT BRIEFING EVEN WITHOUT MY SPECIFIC QUESTION AS PART OF COVERAGE FOR THAT ROUTE. THEREFORE, I CANNOT THINK OF ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT I CAN TAKE. A SUBSEQUENT CALL TO THE ALTOONA FSS SUPVR YIELDED THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A NOTAM UNDER 'ANNAPOLIS,' WHICH IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOCATION OR THE EVENT. THE FAA FSS NOTAM SYSTEM FAILED TO DISTRIBUTE THIS INFO PROPERLY. THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT INFO WAS SO WELL HIDDEN THAT EVEN MY SPECIFIC QUESTION DID NOT BRING IT TO LIGHT. CORRECTIVE ACTION MUST BE TAKEN BY THE FAA OR FSS NETWORK TO ENSURE THAT THIS SORT OF INFO IS ADEQUATELY VISIBLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I BELIEVE THE FACT THAT I ALWAYS GET CONNECTED TO A DISTANT FSS WHICH IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH LCL AIRSPACE, GEOGRAPHY, AND EVENTS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT. CORRECTIVE ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO CONNECT FSS CALLERS WITH NEARBY FSS'S. CONCLUSION: IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE THAT A CONSCIENTIOUS PLT COULD ANTICIPATE THIS, ASK AN FSS ABOUT THIS THREE TIMES, AND NOT BE PROPERLY INFORMED. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. PLEASE CONTACT ME AND TELL ME WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS THIS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT HE HEARD ABOUT THE NOTAM RETURNING FROM THE PENETRATED AREA THROUGH UNICOM BY OTHER PLTS AND SOMEONE AT THE ARPT ON UNICOM STATING THAT THE NOTAM DISTRIBUTION HAD NOT BEEN VERY GOOD. HE WENT ON TO SAY HOW DISAPPOINTED HE WAS WITH THE FSS SERVICE AND THE LACK OF CARING EXPRESSED BY THE FSS SUPVR. HE FURTHER STATED THAT IF A NEARBY FSS COULD HANDLE THE BRIEFINGS THAT THE SPECIALIST'S KNOWLEDGE OF LCL AREA WOULD HAVE PROMPTED KNOWLEDGE OF THE NOTAM AND WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN GIVEN TO HIM DURING THE BRIEFING.

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.