The pilot of an experimental aircraft departed ZZZ for a 20 minute VFR flight.

Attributes
ACN	524741
Time
Date	200109
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 3782 flight time type : 1343
ASRS Report	524741
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : faa/fsdo
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On 09/sat/01, after hearing on the television that most airports had reopened and general aviation had resumed flying, I decided to try to relieve some of my depression, caused by the twin towers disaster, by taking a short flight to lunch at a nearby airport. It was a beautiful cloudless day, so unaware that only IFR flts were permitted by the FAA, I took off VFR from ZZZ airport at about XA10 am in my glasair. I flew northeast, avoiding ZZZ1 airspace, and landed at ZZZ2 airport at about XA30 am. As I was ordering my meal at the airport restaurant I was informed that I had a telephone call in the airport office. Mr X of the local FAA office informed me that I had illegally flown to the ZZZ2 airport, because only IFR flts were permitted due to national security. He instructed me to park my airplane at ZZZ2 airport and not to return to my home airport ZZZ. I apologized to mr X, then informed him I was IFR rated, as was my aircraft. He told me the procedures for flying under the current emergency rules and told me I could return to ZZZ. I filed an IFR flight plan and returned to ZZZ airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT DEPARTED ZZZ FOR A 20 MINUTE VFR FLT.

Narrative: ON 09/SAT/01, AFTER HEARING ON THE TELEVISION THAT MOST ARPTS HAD REOPENED AND GENERAL AVIATION HAD RESUMED FLYING, I DECIDED TO TRY TO RELIEVE SOME OF MY DEPRESSION, CAUSED BY THE TWIN TOWERS DISASTER, BY TAKING A SHORT FLT TO LUNCH AT A NEARBY ARPT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CLOUDLESS DAY, SO UNAWARE THAT ONLY IFR FLTS WERE PERMITTED BY THE FAA, I TOOK OFF VFR FROM ZZZ ARPT AT ABOUT XA10 AM IN MY GLASAIR. I FLEW NE, AVOIDING ZZZ1 AIRSPACE, AND LANDED AT ZZZ2 ARPT AT ABOUT XA30 AM. AS I WAS ORDERING MY MEAL AT THE ARPT RESTAURANT I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD A TELEPHONE CALL IN THE ARPT OFFICE. MR X OF THE LOCAL FAA OFFICE INFORMED ME THAT I HAD ILLEGALLY FLOWN TO THE ZZZ2 ARPT, BECAUSE ONLY IFR FLTS WERE PERMITTED DUE TO NATIONAL SECURITY. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO PARK MY AIRPLANE AT ZZZ2 ARPT AND NOT TO RETURN TO MY HOME ARPT ZZZ. I APOLOGIZED TO MR X, THEN INFORMED HIM I WAS IFR RATED, AS WAS MY ACFT. HE TOLD ME THE PROCS FOR FLYING UNDER THE CURRENT EMER RULES AND TOLD ME I COULD RETURN TO ZZZ. I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND RETURNED TO ZZZ ARPT.

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.