Narrative:

Event: after hearing a congressman give the all clear speech and say that all airports were open and functioning normally, I was operating VFR (during the restricted period) on 9/sun/01. After the wtc disaster, (on sunday) I called the raleigh-durham FSS and received a WX briefing. Nothing was mentioned about any restrs on VFR flight. I arrived at the airport (hnz) and talked with the person on duty for 30 mins about the events of the week. There was no mention or indication that there were any restrs on flight. There was no posting of any restrs. Later on in the afternoon I witnessed a departure of a light GA piper. Approximately two hours later, I took off and stayed in the pattern for about 20 mins doing one touch and go. After I returned and stored the airplane, I was approached by a highway patrol officer asking if I had been flying. I indicated I had and was told to contact the raleigh-durham tower. I called the tower, was informed of the ban on VFR flight. I did not know that there was any restrs on flight. I had been led to believe that the airports and airways were again open and functioning as per the congressman's speech. Corrective action: I realize that these are not normal times and hope that we never get to this point again. However, major restrs should be posted at the airport. This was a major change in the normal flying conditions for everyone, and for a govt officialto indicate to the entire country that things were running as usual is a disservice to everyone. There were two other pilots at the airport preparing to take off VFR that did not know of the restrs. I have since talked with pilot's that were also led to believe that flight restrs were lifted by the congressman's speech.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C150 PLT FLEW WHEN US AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED TO VFR FLT.

Narrative: EVENT: AFTER HEARING A CONGRESSMAN GIVE THE ALL CLR SPEECH AND SAY THAT ALL ARPTS WERE OPEN AND FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, I WAS OPERATING VFR (DURING THE RESTRICTED PERIOD) ON 9/SUN/01. AFTER THE WTC DISASTER, (ON SUNDAY) I CALLED THE RALEIGH-DURHAM FSS AND RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT ANY RESTRS ON VFR FLT. I ARRIVED AT THE ARPT (HNZ) AND TALKED WITH THE PERSON ON DUTY FOR 30 MINS ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THE WEEK. THERE WAS NO MENTION OR INDICATION THAT THERE WERE ANY RESTRS ON FLT. THERE WAS NO POSTING OF ANY RESTRS. LATER ON IN THE AFTERNOON I WITNESSED A DEP OF A LIGHT GA PIPER. APPROX TWO HRS LATER, I TOOK OFF AND STAYED IN THE PATTERN FOR ABOUT 20 MINS DOING ONE TOUCH AND GO. AFTER I RETURNED AND STORED THE AIRPLANE, I WAS APPROACHED BY A HWY PATROL OFFICER ASKING IF I HAD BEEN FLYING. I INDICATED I HAD AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE RALEIGH-DURHAM TWR. I CALLED THE TWR, WAS INFORMED OF THE BAN ON VFR FLT. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS ANY RESTRS ON FLT. I HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE ARPTS AND AIRWAYS WERE AGAIN OPEN AND FUNCTIONING AS PER THE CONGRESSMAN'S SPEECH. CORRECTIVE ACTION: I REALIZE THAT THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES AND HOPE THAT WE NEVER GET TO THIS POINT AGAIN. HOWEVER, MAJOR RESTRS SHOULD BE POSTED AT THE ARPT. THIS WAS A MAJOR CHANGE IN THE NORMAL FLYING CONDITIONS FOR EVERYONE, AND FOR A GOVT OFFICIALTO INDICATE TO THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT THINGS WERE RUNNING AS USUAL IS A DISSERVICE TO EVERYONE. THERE WERE TWO OTHER PLTS AT THE ARPT PREPARING TO TAKE OFF VFR THAT DID NOT KNOW OF THE RESTRS. I HAVE SINCE TALKED WITH PLT'S THAT WERE ALSO LED TO BELIEVE THAT FLT RESTRS WERE LIFTED BY THE CONGRESSMAN'S SPEECH.

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.