An small aircraft pilot violated a tfr involving a power plant.

Attributes
ACN	530949
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	530949
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The student and I only had knowledge from the ZZZ FSS to basically 'stay away' from the ZZZ VOR because a power plant was near by. The FAA had hastily enacted the no fly zones around the power plants. We thought that if we stayed about 20 miles or so away from the ZZZ VOR we'd be fine. Coming back from the southeast practice area we called ZZZ1 approach to ask for vectors back to ZZZ2 to stay away from the ZZZ VOR and the power plant airspace. They gave us vectors to ZZZ2 and a few minutes later stated that radar had tracked us over the ZZZ power plant restr area (tfr). The student copied down a phone # and called it upon reaching the ground. We then found out that there was not just one power plant, but multiple with 10NM diameter tfr's. We thought there was just the one. We as general aviation pilots feel these tfr's which were enacted then detracted within a week, should not harm any of our records or future aviation careers. There are no navaids on these power plants and really no way for us to know exactly where does the 10 NM ring begin or end. We did our airwork 20 to 30 NM DME away from VOR. We thought this was enough. Again, we never knew about the others.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT VIOLATED A TFR INVOLVING A PWR PLANT.

Narrative: THE STUDENT AND I ONLY HAD KNOWLEDGE FROM THE ZZZ FSS TO BASICALLY 'STAY AWAY' FROM THE ZZZ VOR BECAUSE A PWR PLANT WAS NEAR BY. THE FAA HAD HASTILY ENACTED THE NO FLY ZONES AROUND THE PWR PLANTS. WE THOUGHT THAT IF WE STAYED ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO AWAY FROM THE ZZZ VOR WE'D BE FINE. COMING BACK FROM THE SE PRACTICE AREA WE CALLED ZZZ1 APCH TO ASK FOR VECTORS BACK TO ZZZ2 TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ZZZ VOR AND THE PWR PLANT AIRSPACE. THEY GAVE US VECTORS TO ZZZ2 AND A FEW MINUTES LATER STATED THAT RADAR HAD TRACKED US OVER THE ZZZ PWR PLANT RESTR AREA (TFR). THE STUDENT COPIED DOWN A PHONE # AND CALLED IT UPON REACHING THE GND. WE THEN FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS NOT JUST ONE PWR PLANT, BUT MULTIPLE WITH 10NM DIAMETER TFR'S. WE THOUGHT THERE WAS JUST THE ONE. WE AS GENERAL AVIATION PLTS FEEL THESE TFR'S WHICH WERE ENACTED THEN DETRACTED WITHIN A WEEK, SHOULD NOT HARM ANY OF OUR RECORDS OR FUTURE AVIATION CAREERS. THERE ARE NO NAVAIDS ON THESE PWR PLANTS AND REALLY NO WAY FOR US TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE DOES THE 10 NM RING BEGIN OR END. WE DID OUR AIRWORK 20 TO 30 NM DME AWAY FROM VOR. WE THOUGHT THIS WAS ENOUGH. AGAIN, WE NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE OTHERS.

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.