Narrative:

I made a local VFR flight of 30 mins duration within 20 NM of petaluma airport (O69) when all airspace was closed. I did not realize that all airspace was closed to VFR flight. At the airport I saw other aircraft depart and land in VFR conditions. I did not realize that they were on IFR flight plans. There were no signs or indications that VFR flight was not allowed. I should have checked NOTAMS, but for a local VFR flight in class east airspace in perfect WX, I often do not. The short 30 min flight was uneventful. I landed, gassed up and no one said a word. In fact, I did not realize the airspace was closed to VFR flight until 3 days later. Other pilots I know were going to do the same thing, but were told by someone at the last min. Petaluma is an uncontrolled airport. Intentions and positions were reported on unicom, but no one said anything. A solution might have been to have a sign posted at the FBO or gate leading to the hangars in addition to NOTAMS. I had been watching the news on tv and reading all the newspapers, but still saw no mention that the sky was closed to VFR. For a cross country flight I always check NOTAMS, but not necessarily for every local flight in class east. I'm sorry it happened, but I really had no idea that the airspace was closed to VFR. I heard that the FAA called the airport and requested my north number. So far I have not had any correspondence with the FAA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: I MADE A LOCAL VFR FLT OF 30 MINS DURATION WITHIN 20 NM OF PETALUMA ARPT (O69) WHEN ALL AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT ALL AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED TO VFR FLT. AT THE ARPT I SAW OTHER ACFT DEPART AND LAND IN VFR CONDITIONS. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THEY WERE ON IFR FLT PLANS. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OR INDICATIONS THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT ALLOWED. I SHOULD HAVE CHKED NOTAMS, BUT FOR A LOCAL VFR FLT IN CLASS E AIRSPACE IN PERFECT WX, I OFTEN DO NOT. THE SHORT 30 MIN FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I LANDED, GASSED UP AND NO ONE SAID A WORD. IN FACT, I DID NOT REALIZE THE AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED TO VFR FLT UNTIL 3 DAYS LATER. OTHER PLTS I KNOW WERE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING, BUT WERE TOLD BY SOMEONE AT THE LAST MIN. PETALUMA IS AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT. INTENTIONS AND POSITIONS WERE REPORTED ON UNICOM, BUT NO ONE SAID ANYTHING. A SOLUTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN TO HAVE A SIGN POSTED AT THE FBO OR GATE LEADING TO THE HANGARS IN ADDITION TO NOTAMS. I HAD BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS ON TV AND READING ALL THE NEWSPAPERS, BUT STILL SAW NO MENTION THAT THE SKY WAS CLOSED TO VFR. FOR A CROSS COUNTRY FLT I ALWAYS CHK NOTAMS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY FOR EVERY LOCAL FLT IN CLASS E. I'M SORRY IT HAPPENED, BUT I REALLY HAD NO IDEA THAT THE AIRSPACE WAS CLOSED TO VFR. I HEARD THAT THE FAA CALLED THE ARPT AND REQUESTED MY N NUMBER. SO FAR I HAVE NOT HAD ANY CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE FAA.

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.