Narrative:

On 11/sun/01 passed through a tfr located near ZZZ, us. The VFR flight had departed ZZZ1 en route to ZZZ2. The altitude at the time of the penetration was 4500 ft MSL. I was aware of the NOTAM and had marked the location on the current sectional used for navigating the VFR flight. Although the ground was visible, the lighting conditions at that time where such that unlit surface features were not that apparent. Learned of the violation after landing at ZZZ2 when I was asked to call the tower. The tower in turned asked me to call ZZZ3 approach, which I did. ZZZ3 informed me that I had penetrated the tfr airspace. In the NOTAM, the location reference is from a VORTAC. That reference pinpoints the center of the facility, not the boundaries. Given the distance and accuracy of the VORTAC, this is at best a margin reference. Assuming normal, IFR legal instrument error, you can still miss your location by several miles at this distance from the VOR. The altitude reference is in AGL versus MSL. Unless you are familiar with the locale elevation this is useless. An MSL posting would have been much easier to identify. In addition the tfr area is dark, the only notable lighted feature is several miles to the northeast. While it is understandable that tfrs be created as a result of the 09/tue/01 tragedy, the communication system in place make it difficult to ensure compliance. More time is needed to absorb the information and clearer communication are necessary to avoid unintentional penetration in to tfr airspace, especially those in remote locations. Although I was aware of this tfr it was not easy gaining that knowledge. The biggest issue is however a better definition (both VFR and IFR) of the boundaries of the airspace, including vertical limits (had I been 1000 ft higher I would have been clear as well). Perhaps consideration should be given to lighting such area for night VFR. In the mean time, the only solution seems to be to provide larger deviation from such area until they are charted and better identified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ADVISED UPON LNDG THAT HE HAS VIOLATED A TFR.

Narrative: ON 11/SUN/01 PASSED THROUGH A TFR LOCATED NEAR ZZZ, US. THE VFR FLT HAD DEPARTED ZZZ1 ENRTE TO ZZZ2. THE ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE PENETRATION WAS 4500 FT MSL. I WAS AWARE OF THE NOTAM AND HAD MARKED THE LOCATION ON THE CURRENT SECTIONAL USED FOR NAVIGATING THE VFR FLT. ALTHOUGH THE GND WAS VISIBLE, THE LIGHTING CONDITIONS AT THAT TIME WHERE SUCH THAT UNLIT SURFACE FEATURES WERE NOT THAT APPARENT. LEARNED OF THE VIOLATION AFTER LNDG AT ZZZ2 WHEN I WAS ASKED TO CALL THE TWR. THE TWR IN TURNED ASKED ME TO CALL ZZZ3 APCH, WHICH I DID. ZZZ3 INFORMED ME THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE TFR AIRSPACE. IN THE NOTAM, THE LOCATION REFERENCE IS FROM A VORTAC. THAT REFERENCE PINPOINTS THE CENTER OF THE FACILITY, NOT THE BOUNDARIES. GIVEN THE DISTANCE AND ACCURACY OF THE VORTAC, THIS IS AT BEST A MARGIN REFERENCE. ASSUMING NORMAL, IFR LEGAL INSTRUMENT ERROR, YOU CAN STILL MISS YOUR LOCATION BY SEVERAL MILES AT THIS DISTANCE FROM THE VOR. THE ALTITUDE REFERENCE IS IN AGL VERSUS MSL. UNLESS YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCALE ELEVATION THIS IS USELESS. AN MSL POSTING WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH EASIER TO IDENTIFY. IN ADDITION THE TFR AREA IS DARK, THE ONLY NOTABLE LIGHTED FEATURE IS SEVERAL MILES TO THE NE. WHILE IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT TFRS BE CREATED AS A RESULT OF THE 09/TUE/01 TRAGEDY, THE COM SYSTEM IN PLACE MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE. MORE TIME IS NEEDED TO ABSORB THE INFO AND CLEARER COM ARE NECESSARY TO AVOID UNINTENTIONAL PENETRATION IN TO TFR AIRSPACE, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN REMOTE LOCATIONS. ALTHOUGH I WAS AWARE OF THIS TFR IT WAS NOT EASY GAINING THAT KNOWLEDGE. THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS HOWEVER A BETTER DEFINITION (BOTH VFR AND IFR) OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE AIRSPACE, INCLUDING VERTICAL LIMITS (HAD I BEEN 1000 FT HIGHER I WOULD HAVE BEEN CLEAR AS WELL). PERHAPS CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO LIGHTING SUCH AREA FOR NIGHT VFR. IN THE MEAN TIME, THE ONLY SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE TO PROVIDE LARGER DEVIATION FROM SUCH AREA UNTIL THEY ARE CHARTED AND BETTER IDENTIFIED.

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.