Narrative:

On a return flight to thv, from 26N, I requested and received VFR flight following instructions, including a transponder code from atlantic city clearance delivery before departure 26N. I requested and was approved for 4500 ft. The route flown was direct thv. Upon takeoff, the flight was handled by atlantic city approach, handed off to philadelphia approach, then to baltimore approach, who like the others confirmed my flight as 'radar contact.' a few moments later the baltimore approach controller advised me of a request by washington center to call them upon landing at the destination airport. Interestingly, baltimore volunteered that they did not know the nature of the request. The rest of the flight was uneventful. There was one last handoff to harrisburg approach who advised radar service terminated, squawk VFR, near the york airport. Upon calling washington center by phone, upon landing the gentleman advised me I had overflown the hope creek nuclear power plant. I was (and am) familiar with the NOTAM on this issue stating 'to the extent practicable' pilots should 'avoid' airspace in proximity to such sites. It would be helpful, however, if this notice indicated a more precise altitude and/or distance to maintain away from those facilities. Also, somewhat puzzling is the fact that at no time did any controller offer, advise or require deviation instructions around this facility. At no time did I circle or loiter -- my flight path was direct distinction. I made an inquiry to FSS the following day as to the exact location (latitude/long) of hope creek power plant. But the briefer 'could not find it.' the briefer did repeat the general NOTAM referenced above. Finally, four pilots were on board the flight, who like me seek how to best avoid all sensitive off limits facilities under VFR. Please know I will re-double my efforts to avoid all sensitive, restr and prohibited airspace, recognizing the high state of alert in the USA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA28 PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED PROHIBITED AIRSPACE SURROUNDING A POWER PLANT DURING CROSS COUNTRY FLT USING ATC FLT FOLLOWING.

Narrative: ON A RETURN FLT TO THV, FROM 26N, I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED VFR FLT FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, INCLUDING A XPONDER CODE FROM ATLANTIC CITY CLRNC DELIVERY BEFORE DEP 26N. I REQUESTED AND WAS APPROVED FOR 4500 FT. THE RTE FLOWN WAS DIRECT THV. UPON TKOF, THE FLT WAS HANDLED BY ATLANTIC CITY APCH, HANDED OFF TO PHILADELPHIA APCH, THEN TO BALTIMORE APCH, WHO LIKE THE OTHERS CONFIRMED MY FLT AS 'RADAR CONTACT.' A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE BALTIMORE APCH CTLR ADVISED ME OF A REQUEST BY WASHINGTON CTR TO CALL THEM UPON LNDG AT THE DESTINATION ARPT. INTERESTINGLY, BALTIMORE VOLUNTEERED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. THERE WAS ONE LAST HANDOFF TO HARRISBURG APCH WHO ADVISED RADAR SVC TERMINATED, SQUAWK VFR, NEAR THE YORK ARPT. UPON CALLING WASHINGTON CTR BY PHONE, UPON LNDG THE GENTLEMAN ADVISED ME I HAD OVERFLOWN THE HOPE CREEK NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. I WAS (AND AM) FAMILIAR WITH THE NOTAM ON THIS ISSUE STATING 'TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE' PLTS SHOULD 'AVOID' AIRSPACE IN PROX TO SUCH SITES. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, HOWEVER, IF THIS NOTICE INDICATED A MORE PRECISE ALT AND/OR DISTANCE TO MAINTAIN AWAY FROM THOSE FACILITIES. ALSO, SOMEWHAT PUZZLING IS THE FACT THAT AT NO TIME DID ANY CTLR OFFER, ADVISE OR REQUIRE DEV INSTRUCTIONS AROUND THIS FACILITY. AT NO TIME DID I CIRCLE OR LOITER -- MY FLT PATH WAS DIRECT DISTINCTION. I MADE AN INQUIRY TO FSS THE FOLLOWING DAY AS TO THE EXACT LOCATION (LAT/LONG) OF HOPE CREEK POWER PLANT. BUT THE BRIEFER 'COULD NOT FIND IT.' THE BRIEFER DID REPEAT THE GENERAL NOTAM REFERENCED ABOVE. FINALLY, FOUR PLTS WERE ON BOARD THE FLT, WHO LIKE ME SEEK HOW TO BEST AVOID ALL SENSITIVE OFF LIMITS FACILITIES UNDER VFR. PLEASE KNOW I WILL RE-DOUBLE MY EFFORTS TO AVOID ALL SENSITIVE, RESTR AND PROHIBITED AIRSPACE, RECOGNIZING THE HIGH STATE OF ALERT IN THE USA.

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.