Narrative:

The FSS briefer at I think it was ZZZ FSS, gave me the winds aloft and then suggested that we go over where the power plants were. I do not recall him mentioning that there was a new NOTAM, but I am unsure at this point. I do recall telling him I was planning on flying near 12000 ft so I did not think that I would have to worry about the power plants. He said that the airspace went all the way up to 18000 ft. I do not recall him mentioning the 10 mi ring. I made an assumption myself that it would probably be a 5 mi ring like most class D airspace. Anyway, the FSS briefer went through a list of power plants in every state I would cross. Most of the discussion was concerning the location of the power plants and all he had was the names of some small cities that neither of us was sure where they were. He did mention one power plant north of abc and I responded something about seeing that one before. The briefer, I felt, never conveyed a real sense of urgency and because he could not pinpoint the majority of them I really never placed a high priority on the power plant information. Especially since I was planning on flying at 11500 ft and I knew that they would be hard to spot at that altitude. I departure YYY at approximately XA00 announcing my departure on 122.8 (unicom) and turned on a heading of 123 degrees and climbed VFR to 11500 ft. I did not feel the need to file a flight plan or get flight following. As I approached XXX it was becoming apparent that I would not be able to make it all the way to ZZZ without stopping for gas. I arrived on the ground at XXX at around XG00. I had to wait for a helicopter to finish refueling and then took my turn topping off all 4 tanks. At approximately XH00, I left XXX making a right turn to a heading of 146 degrees and climbed VFR to 3500 ft direct to ZZZ. Around 20 mins or so later I started seeing a number of ground fires. While watching the fires off the west of my route I did notice what I took to be the power plant the briefer had mentioned that was northeast of abc. It appeared my heading at 146 degrees would not take me within what I assumed to be a 5 mi ring of the power plant so I proceeded. I paid special attention to the GPS to ensure that I remained clear of abc class B airspace since I was flying VFR at 3500 ft. I continued on my way to ZZZ and as I was approaching WWW at around XI00, which is approximately 60 miles south and about 20 to 30 mins from the power plant I saw north of abc, my TCASII lit up. This was the first time it had lit up in the flight. I started to scan the airspace around me when I saw a fighter jet appear from my left side, fly up to me, cross my path and make a fast climbing right turn behind me out of sight. At that point I noticed a second fighter aircraft approaching again from my back left. He paused slowly along side me and I waved and he then crossed my path and made the same climbing right turn behind me and out of sight. At this point I changed frequency from xyz to 121.5 thinking that maybe something had happened since I had been virtually out of the loop for the last 6 hours. I heard nothing and they both came around me one more time and again made the same climbing right turn. At that point I identified myself on 121.5, 'fighter jets this is saratoga just north of WWW, is there something I can help you with.' there was no response and I repeated something to the same effect. I made 3 attempts to contact ZZZ ARTCC when they finally responded. I identified my location and myself and they gave me a squawk frequency and told me to continue. I then heard the controller talking to an aircraft 1 and 2, which I assumed were the fighter jets. She told them she had the saratoga (which I assumed was me) on squawk and frequency and thanked them for their help. I continued to ZZZ and was asked to switch frequency as I flew closer to ZZZ. About 10 miles out I verified I had ZZZ in sight and ZZZ ARTCC switched me to tower. Upon landing I was told to make a left turn on taxiway delta. After turning off the runway onto taxiway delta the tower requested me to stop, at which time a police helicopter landed behind me. After a few mins I was requestedto taxi on up in front of the gas sign and shut it down. I complied and while climbing out of the airplane I noticed a county policeman walking toward me. We chatted for nearly 30 mins and he reviewed my pilots license as well as my III class medical certificate and drivers license. He also looked in the plane and took a number of phone calls from other folks. At this point I still was not privy to what I had supposedly done. I was positive I had stayed clear of the abc class B airspace. About this time a second policeman arrived and after chatting with him he informed me that I had violated airspace around a nuclear power plant. I informed him I was sure I had stayed more than 5 miles from the power plant. After about 15 more mins they released me and I restarted my plane and parked in my hangar. Then on nov/thu, when arriving at work, I had the opportunity to access the internet for the first time in 6 days. I went to an aviation web site and researched the whole power plant thing. In my research I found three interesting things. First of course was the fact that a new NOTAM was issued on oct/tue placing tfr's around all nuclear power plants as well as other areas. Second, that the airspace did include up to 18000 ft as the briefer told me on the morning oct/wed, but the circle was 10 miles instead of the 5 miles I had assumed. The third item was a shocker. There is not one nuclear power plant northeast of abc, but two (a and B). Evidently the plant I had eyeballed was a, and assuring myself that I was not violating its 5 mi airspace as I thought, I instead violated B which I never saw. I can only assume that between watching a and the abc class B, I did fly too close to B, though I was unaware at the time of the flight of its existence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 PLT VIOLATED THE RESTR AIRSPACE INVOLVING A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

Narrative: THE FSS BRIEFER AT I THINK IT WAS ZZZ FSS, GAVE ME THE WINDS ALOFT AND THEN SUGGESTED THAT WE GO OVER WHERE THE POWER PLANTS WERE. I DO NOT RECALL HIM MENTIONING THAT THERE WAS A NEW NOTAM, BUT I AM UNSURE AT THIS POINT. I DO RECALL TELLING HIM I WAS PLANNING ON FLYING NEAR 12000 FT SO I DID NOT THINK THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE POWER PLANTS. HE SAID THAT THE AIRSPACE WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO 18000 FT. I DO NOT RECALL HIM MENTIONING THE 10 MI RING. I MADE AN ASSUMPTION MYSELF THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A 5 MI RING LIKE MOST CLASS D AIRSPACE. ANYWAY, THE FSS BRIEFER WENT THROUGH A LIST OF POWER PLANTS IN EVERY STATE I WOULD CROSS. MOST OF THE DISCUSSION WAS CONCERNING THE LOCATION OF THE POWER PLANTS AND ALL HE HAD WAS THE NAMES OF SOME SMALL CITIES THAT NEITHER OF US WAS SURE WHERE THEY WERE. HE DID MENTION ONE POWER PLANT N OF ABC AND I RESPONDED SOMETHING ABOUT SEEING THAT ONE BEFORE. THE BRIEFER, I FELT, NEVER CONVEYED A REAL SENSE OF URGENCY AND BECAUSE HE COULD NOT PINPOINT THE MAJORITY OF THEM I REALLY NEVER PLACED A HIGH PRIORITY ON THE POWER PLANT INFO. ESPECIALLY SINCE I WAS PLANNING ON FLYING AT 11500 FT AND I KNEW THAT THEY WOULD BE HARD TO SPOT AT THAT ALT. I DEP YYY AT APPROX XA00 ANNOUNCING MY DEP ON 122.8 (UNICOM) AND TURNED ON A HDG OF 123 DEGS AND CLBED VFR TO 11500 FT. I DID NOT FEEL THE NEED TO FILE A FLT PLAN OR GET FLT FOLLOWING. AS I APCHED XXX IT WAS BECOMING APPARENT THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO ZZZ WITHOUT STOPPING FOR GAS. I ARRIVED ON THE GND AT XXX AT AROUND XG00. I HAD TO WAIT FOR A HELI TO FINISH REFUELING AND THEN TOOK MY TURN TOPPING OFF ALL 4 TANKS. AT APPROX XH00, I LEFT XXX MAKING A RIGHT TURN TO A HDG OF 146 DEGS AND CLBED VFR TO 3500 FT DIRECT TO ZZZ. AROUND 20 MINS OR SO LATER I STARTED SEEING A NUMBER OF GND FIRES. WHILE WATCHING THE FIRES OFF THE W OF MY RTE I DID NOTICE WHAT I TOOK TO BE THE POWER PLANT THE BRIEFER HAD MENTIONED THAT WAS NE OF ABC. IT APPEARED MY HDG AT 146 DEGS WOULD NOT TAKE ME WITHIN WHAT I ASSUMED TO BE A 5 MI RING OF THE POWER PLANT SO I PROCEEDED. I PAID SPECIAL ATTN TO THE GPS TO ENSURE THAT I REMAINED CLR OF ABC CLASS B AIRSPACE SINCE I WAS FLYING VFR AT 3500 FT. I CONTINUED ON MY WAY TO ZZZ AND AS I WAS APPROACHING WWW AT AROUND XI00, WHICH IS APPROX 60 MILES S AND ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINS FROM THE POWER PLANT I SAW N OF ABC, MY TCASII LIT UP. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD LIT UP IN THE FLT. I STARTED TO SCAN THE AIRSPACE AROUND ME WHEN I SAW A FIGHTER JET APPEAR FROM MY LEFT SIDE, FLY UP TO ME, CROSS MY PATH AND MAKE A FAST CLBING RIGHT TURN BEHIND ME OUT OF SIGHT. AT THAT POINT I NOTICED A SECOND FIGHTER ACFT APPROACHING AGAIN FROM MY BACK LEFT. HE PAUSED SLOWLY ALONG SIDE ME AND I WAVED AND HE THEN CROSSED MY PATH AND MADE THE SAME CLBING RIGHT TURN BEHIND ME AND OUT OF SIGHT. AT THIS POINT I CHANGED FREQ FROM XYZ TO 121.5 THINKING THAT MAYBE SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED SINCE I HAD BEEN VIRTUALLY OUT OF THE LOOP FOR THE LAST 6 HRS. I HEARD NOTHING AND THEY BOTH CAME AROUND ME ONE MORE TIME AND AGAIN MADE THE SAME CLBING RIGHT TURN. AT THAT POINT I IDENTIFIED MYSELF ON 121.5, 'FIGHTER JETS THIS IS SARATOGA JUST N OF WWW, IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN HELP YOU WITH.' THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND I REPEATED SOMETHING TO THE SAME EFFECT. I MADE 3 ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ZZZ ARTCC WHEN THEY FINALLY RESPONDED. I IDENTIFIED MY LOCATION AND MYSELF AND THEY GAVE ME A SQUAWK FREQ AND TOLD ME TO CONTINUE. I THEN HEARD THE CTLR TALKING TO AN ACFT 1 AND 2, WHICH I ASSUMED WERE THE FIGHTER JETS. SHE TOLD THEM SHE HAD THE SARATOGA (WHICH I ASSUMED WAS ME) ON SQUAWK AND FREQ AND THANKED THEM FOR THEIR HELP. I CONTINUED TO ZZZ AND WAS ASKED TO SWITCH FREQ AS I FLEW CLOSER TO ZZZ. ABOUT 10 MILES OUT I VERIFIED I HAD ZZZ IN SIGHT AND ZZZ ARTCC SWITCHED ME TO TOWER. UPON LNDG I WAS TOLD TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON TXWY DELTA. AFTER TURNING OFF THE RWY ONTO TXWY DELTA THE TOWER REQUESTED ME TO STOP, AT WHICH TIME A POLICE HELI LANDED BEHIND ME. AFTER A FEW MINS I WAS REQUESTEDTO TAXI ON UP IN FRONT OF THE GAS SIGN AND SHUT IT DOWN. I COMPLIED AND WHILE CLBING OUT OF THE AIRPLANE I NOTICED A COUNTY POLICEMAN WALKING TOWARD ME. WE CHATTED FOR NEARLY 30 MINS AND HE REVIEWED MY PLTS LICENSE AS WELL AS MY III CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND DRIVERS LICENSE. HE ALSO LOOKED IN THE PLANE AND TOOK A NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS FROM OTHER FOLKS. AT THIS POINT I STILL WAS NOT PRIVY TO WHAT I HAD SUPPOSEDLY DONE. I WAS POSITIVE I HAD STAYED CLR OF THE ABC CLASS B AIRSPACE. ABOUT THIS TIME A SECOND POLICEMAN ARRIVED AND AFTER CHATTING WITH HIM HE INFORMED ME THAT I HAD VIOLATED AIRSPACE AROUND A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. I INFORMED HIM I WAS SURE I HAD STAYED MORE THAN 5 MILES FROM THE POWER PLANT. AFTER ABOUT 15 MORE MINS THEY RELEASED ME AND I RESTARTED MY PLANE AND PARKED IN MY HANGAR. THEN ON NOV/THU, WHEN ARRIVING AT WORK, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS THE INTERNET FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 6 DAYS. I WENT TO AN AVIATION WEB SITE AND RESEARCHED THE WHOLE POWER PLANT THING. IN MY RESEARCH I FOUND THREE INTERESTING THINGS. FIRST OF COURSE WAS THE FACT THAT A NEW NOTAM WAS ISSUED ON OCT/TUE PLACING TFR'S AROUND ALL NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS. SECOND, THAT THE AIRSPACE DID INCLUDE UP TO 18000 FT AS THE BRIEFER TOLD ME ON THE MORNING OCT/WED, BUT THE CIRCLE WAS 10 MILES INSTEAD OF THE 5 MILES I HAD ASSUMED. THE THIRD ITEM WAS A SHOCKER. THERE IS NOT ONE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT NE OF ABC, BUT TWO (A AND B). EVIDENTLY THE PLANT I HAD EYEBALLED WAS A, AND ASSURING MYSELF THAT I WAS NOT VIOLATING ITS 5 MI AIRSPACE AS I THOUGHT, I INSTEAD VIOLATED B WHICH I NEVER SAW. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT BETWEEN WATCHING A AND THE ABC CLASS B, I DID FLY TOO CLOSE TO B, THOUGH I WAS UNAWARE AT THE TIME OF THE FLT OF ITS EXISTENCE.

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.