Small aircraft pilot inadvertently penetrates temporary restr airspace around a power plant.

Attributes
ACN	529188
Time
Date	200111
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level landing : touch and go
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 420 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	529188
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure

Narrative:

Took off for a local flight with the intent of shooting some touch and gos and some VOR practice at ZZZ1 base. At that time and during the event the sky was cloudless and visibility was unlimited. Therefore, I didn't receive a WX briefing or check NOTAM (far -91.103). I had received a briefing a few weeks earlier which had indicated the end of temporary restr airspace for our area. Once airborne I decided practice navigating with my handheld GPS to ZZZ2 airport about 50 miles away. About halfway there I tuned into ZZZ approach to make sure I wasn't creating a conflict. ATC was handling a few arrival and departures, but no mention of any restred airspace. At 3000 ft MSL and squawking 1200 I passed ZZZ2 airport, I decide to fly 10 miles further to overfly my mother-in-law's farm just east of center point and then return to ZZZ1 VOR. It is at this point that ZZZ approach requests contact with unidentified aircraft 18 NM north. I responded and was given vector 270 back west with the information having busted restr airspace. I had to ask what could possibly need restr for I could see nothing but open farm land (except power plant, several miles south). I complied with ATC instructions and returned direct to ZZZ1 airport expecting to be received by folks in black sedans with long antenna. I believe that everything I did during the flight was safe and non threatening to another human being. I am totally sensitive to the fears of the general public about airplanes and have attempted to act in a way with the least impact. I am now keenly aware of the need to reference NOTAMS. I have to admit being slow getting up to speed for the post 9/tue/01 protocols. I have a question about national security: if I am unknowingly making a GPS straight line flight directly toward tfr while monitoring the controling frequency with transponder reporting and don't get a warning (as far as I know) yet once in the airspace communication is instant, who is being protected?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATES TEMPORARY RESTR AIRSPACE AROUND A PWR PLANT.

Narrative: TOOK OFF FOR A LOCAL FLT WITH THE INTENT OF SHOOTING SOME TOUCH AND GOS AND SOME VOR PRACTICE AT ZZZ1 BASE. AT THAT TIME AND DURING THE EVENT THE SKY WAS CLOUDLESS AND VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED. THEREFORE, I DIDN'T RECEIVE A WX BRIEFING OR CHECK NOTAM (FAR -91.103). I HAD RECEIVED A BRIEFING A FEW WEEKS EARLIER WHICH HAD INDICATED THE END OF TEMPORARY RESTR AIRSPACE FOR OUR AREA. ONCE AIRBORNE I DECIDED PRACTICE NAVIGATING WITH MY HANDHELD GPS TO ZZZ2 ARPT ABOUT 50 MILES AWAY. ABOUT HALFWAY THERE I TUNED INTO ZZZ APCH TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T CREATING A CONFLICT. ATC WAS HANDLING A FEW ARRIVAL AND DEPS, BUT NO MENTION OF ANY RESTRED AIRSPACE. AT 3000 FT MSL AND SQUAWKING 1200 I PASSED ZZZ2 ARPT, I DECIDE TO FLY 10 MILES FURTHER TO OVERFLY MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S FARM JUST E OF CTR POINT AND THEN RETURN TO ZZZ1 VOR. IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT ZZZ APCH REQUESTS CONTACT WITH UNIDENTIFIED ACFT 18 NM N. I RESPONDED AND WAS GIVEN VECTOR 270 BACK WEST WITH THE INFORMATION HAVING BUSTED RESTR AIRSPACE. I HAD TO ASK WHAT COULD POSSIBLY NEED RESTR FOR I COULD SEE NOTHING BUT OPEN FARM LAND (EXCEPT PWR PLANT, SEVERAL MILES S). I COMPLIED WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS AND RETURNED DIRECT TO ZZZ1 ARPT EXPECTING TO BE RECEIVED BY FOLKS IN BLACK SEDANS WITH LONG ANTENNA. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING I DID DURING THE FLT WAS SAFE AND NON THREATENING TO ANOTHER HUMAN BEING. I AM TOTALLY SENSITIVE TO THE FEARS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT AIRPLANES AND HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ACT IN A WAY WITH THE LEAST IMPACT. I AM NOW KEENLY AWARE OF THE NEED TO REFERENCE NOTAMS. I HAVE TO ADMIT BEING SLOW GETTING UP TO SPEED FOR THE POST 9/TUE/01 PROTOCOLS. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY: IF I AM UNKNOWINGLY MAKING A GPS STRAIGHT LINE FLT DIRECTLY TOWARD TFR WHILE MONITORING THE CTLING FREQ WITH TRANSPONDER RPTING AND DON'T GET A WARNING (AS FAR AS I KNOW) YET ONCE IN THE AIRSPACE COMMUNICATION IS INSTANT, WHO IS BEING PROTECTED?

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.