Narrative:

I called ZZZ FSS for a WX briefing and to file an IFR flight plan. I specifically asked for 'current and forecast WX and NOTAMS.' no pertinent NOTAMS were given. I filed and then after receiving our clearance we departed. The flight to ZZZ1 was uneventful. Upon arrival at ZZZ1 we refueled, I again checked WX and NOTAMS (this time on the computer system), filed an IFR flight plan to ZZZ2 and then waited for our passengers. By the time the passenger arrived, the tower had closed for the night. We listened to ATIS/AWOS and taxied to the end of the runway. I called ZZZ3 TRACON for a clearance (using the frequency on the approach chart) and got no response. A frequency was given on ATIS (for more information), so, I tried that with no response. We tried the clearance frequency, we tried 3 different frequencys for ZZZ4 FSS. We even switched radios to rule out radio or antenna problems. So, we determined that we would not be able to get an IFR clearance by radio on the ground. The WX was VFR with a high ceiling and good visibility. We studied the class B charts and determined that we could safely depart VFR, stay clear of the class B, the WX and the terrain, and elected to do so. As we climbed through 400 ft AGL, we began a rh turn and I contacted approach/departure, informing them I was 'VFR off ZZZ.' they informed me that a temporary flight restr (tfr) on VFR flight was in effect until XA00 am local for an area 25 miles radius from the stadium and they 'recommend' I return to ZZZ for a landing, which we did. Upon landing, I called ZZZ4 FSS by phone and sure enough fdc NOTAM was in effect. Furthermore, it was in no way possible to communicate with ATC for an FSS from the ground at ZZZ4 when the tower was closed, except by phone. He gave me TRACON's number, which I called, later received a clearance and departed IFR. While waiting my turn to get a clearance, I looked around the FBO. While there was a stack of bright red fliers informing pilots of a local NOTAM closing a taxiway, there were no notices of a tfr. I spoke with the man on duty for airport operations and he had no knowledge of any tfr. It seems that tfr could have been better disseminated. After talking with ZZZ2 FSS, listening to ATIS inbound, checking NOTAMS on the computer, looking for notices in the FBO, and listening to ATIS outbound, I was still ignorant of the restr. With no way to contact ATC on the ground there was no one left to inform me of the imminent 'violation.' naturally had I known of the tfr, I would have never departed VFR with the intention of 'picking up' the IFR in the air.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE40 CREW VIOLATED A TFR INVOLVING A MAJOR OPEN AIR ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE.

Narrative: I CALLED ZZZ FSS FOR A WX BRIEFING AND TO FILE AN IFR FLT PLAN. I SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR 'CURRENT AND FORECAST WX AND NOTAMS.' NO PERTINENT NOTAMS WERE GIVEN. I FILED AND THEN AFTER RECEIVING OUR CLRNC WE DEPARTED. THE FLT TO ZZZ1 WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON ARRIVAL AT ZZZ1 WE REFUELED, I AGAIN CHECKED WX AND NOTAMS (THIS TIME ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM), FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ZZZ2 AND THEN WAITED FOR OUR PASSENGERS. BY THE TIME THE PAX ARRIVED, THE TWR HAD CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT. WE LISTENED TO ATIS/AWOS AND TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RWY. I CALLED ZZZ3 TRACON FOR A CLRNC (USING THE FREQ ON THE APCH CHART) AND GOT NO RESPONSE. A FREQ WAS GIVEN ON ATIS (FOR MORE INFO), SO, I TRIED THAT WITH NO RESPONSE. WE TRIED THE CLRNC FREQ, WE TRIED 3 DIFFERENT FREQS FOR ZZZ4 FSS. WE EVEN SWITCHED RADIOS TO RULE OUT RADIO OR ANTENNA PROBLEMS. SO, WE DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET AN IFR CLRNC BY RADIO ON THE GND. THE WX WAS VFR WITH A HIGH CEILING AND GOOD VISIBILITY. WE STUDIED THE CLASS B CHARTS AND DETERMINED THAT WE COULD SAFELY DEPART VFR, STAY CLR OF THE CLASS B, THE WX AND THE TERRAIN, AND ELECTED TO DO SO. AS WE CLIMBED THROUGH 400 FT AGL, WE BEGAN A RH TURN AND I CONTACTED APCH/DEP, INFORMING THEM I WAS 'VFR OFF ZZZ.' THEY INFORMED ME THAT A TEMPORARY FLT RESTR (TFR) ON VFR FLT WAS IN EFFECT UNTIL XA00 AM LOCAL FOR AN AREA 25 MILES RADIUS FROM THE STADIUM AND THEY 'RECOMMEND' I RETURN TO ZZZ FOR A LNDG, WHICH WE DID. UPON LNDG, I CALLED ZZZ4 FSS BY PHONE AND SURE ENOUGH FDC NOTAM WAS IN EFFECT. FURTHERMORE, IT WAS IN NO WAY POSSIBLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC FOR AN FSS FROM THE GND AT ZZZ4 WHEN THE TWR WAS CLOSED, EXCEPT BY PHONE. HE GAVE ME TRACON'S NUMBER, WHICH I CALLED, LATER RECEIVED A CLRNC AND DEPARTED IFR. WHILE WAITING MY TURN TO GET A CLRNC, I LOOKED AROUND THE FBO. WHILE THERE WAS A STACK OF BRIGHT RED FLIERS INFORMING PLTS OF A LOCAL NOTAM CLOSING A TAXIWAY, THERE WERE NO NOTICES OF A TFR. I SPOKE WITH THE MAN ON DUTY FOR ARPT OPERATIONS AND HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY TFR. IT SEEMS THAT TFR COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER DISSEMINATED. AFTER TALKING WITH ZZZ2 FSS, LISTENING TO ATIS INBOUND, CHECKING NOTAMS ON THE COMPUTER, LOOKING FOR NOTICES IN THE FBO, AND LISTENING TO ATIS OUTBOUND, I WAS STILL IGNORANT OF THE RESTR. WITH NO WAY TO CONTACT ATC ON THE GND THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT TO INFORM ME OF THE IMMINENT 'VIOLATION.' NATURALLY HAD I KNOWN OF THE TFR, I WOULD HAVE NEVER DEPARTED VFR WITH THE INTENTION OF 'PICKING UP' THE IFR IN THE AIR.

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.