Helicopter pilot flew below minimum altitude listed on a tfr.

Attributes
ACN	529606
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Jet Ranger/Kiowa/206
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	529606
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Tfr was issued in a manner which forced news gathering helicopter up higher near the approach path(south) for runways at ZZZ. In the process of broadcasting, avoiding other helicopter's and airplanes (and wake turbulence) on final for runways, our helicopter inadvertently strayed 100 to 150 ft below the ceiling or into the tfr. These deviation(south) were corrected promptly, and safety was not compromised. In fact being at the normal altitude(south) (500 to 1000 ft AGL) where a news gathering aircraft normally operates would have been much safer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI PLT FLEW BELOW MINIMUM ALT LISTED ON A TFR.

Narrative: TFR WAS ISSUED IN A MANNER WHICH FORCED NEWS GATHERING HELI UP HIGHER NEAR THE APCH PATH(S) FOR RWYS AT ZZZ. IN THE PROCESS OF BROADCASTING, AVOIDING OTHER HELI'S AND AIRPLANES (AND WAKE TURB) ON FINAL FOR RWYS, OUR HELI INADVERTENTLY STRAYED 100 TO 150 FT BELOW THE CEILING OR INTO THE TFR. THESE DEVIATION(S) WERE CORRECTED PROMPTLY, AND SAFETY WAS NOT COMPROMISED. IN FACT BEING AT THE NORMAL ALTITUDE(S) (500 TO 1000 FT AGL) WHERE A NEWS GATHERING ACFT NORMALLY OPERATES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH SAFER.

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.