An small aircraft pilot violated a tfr involving a major open air assembly of people.

Attributes
ACN	530297
Time
Date	200111
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 600 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6900
ASRS Report	530297
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While conducting a low level cross country, our aircraft overflew what I thought was an automatic salvage yard. There are a great number of these on the route we fly for this training. Coming over one of these 'junk yards,' I noticed a great number of people, and realized it was a flea market! A part of NOTAM 1/0298 is not to operate lower than 3000 ft and within 3 NM of major open air assemblies. Not sure if a flea market falls under this, but there sure were a great number of people. We remained clear of schools, power plants, etc, but this one caught us off guard as it looked to be something else. No excuse, just some backgnd. I adjusted the altitude upward and avoided anything that looked like a large gathering of people. Maybe we need to rethink our rtes for this training in light of the current security situation in the united states of america.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT VIOLATED A TFR INVOLVING A MAJOR OPEN AIR ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING A LOW LEVEL XCOUNTRY, OUR ACFT OVERFLEW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN AUTO SALVAGE YARD. THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF THESE ON THE RTE WE FLY FOR THIS TRAINING. COMING OVER ONE OF THESE 'JUNK YARDS,' I NOTICED A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AND REALIZED IT WAS A FLEA MARKET! A PART OF NOTAM 1/0298 IS NOT TO OPERATE LOWER THAN 3000 FT AND WITHIN 3 NM OF MAJOR OPEN AIR ASSEMBLIES. NOT SURE IF A FLEA MARKET FALLS UNDER THIS, BUT THERE SURE WERE A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE. WE REMAINED CLR OF SCHOOLS, PWR PLANTS, ETC, BUT THIS ONE CAUGHT US OFF GUARD AS IT LOOKED TO BE SOMETHING ELSE. NO EXCUSE, JUST SOME BACKGND. I ADJUSTED THE ALT UPWARD AND AVOIDED ANYTHING THAT LOOKED LIKE A LARGE GATHERING OF PEOPLE. MAYBE WE NEED TO RETHINK OUR RTES FOR THIS TRAINING IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT SECURITY SIT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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.