Narrative:

VFR flight from bdr to 2n8 via class B. Contacted new york approach for clearance. Cleared into bravo. Flight path would have supposedly run afoul of tfr established around ground zero in lower manhattan. The NOTAM is written 'aircraft flight operations are prohibited within a 2 NM radius of 404244.16N/740047.30W and the lga VOR/DME 250 degree radial at 8 NM at and below 8000 ft AGL, unless authority/authorized by ATC,' etc. The way this NOTAM was described to me by an FSS briefer, if I was under position control (as I was by being at 1500 ft AGL and on with lga tower), that I would be authority/authorized by ATC to pass through the tfr 'unless authority/authorized by ATC.' they asked if I had a waiver to operate in the tfr, to which I replied 'negative.' lga tower arranged with newark to vector me around the tfr and I continued on my way. I think the wording 'and' in the interpretation of this NOTAM'ed tfr is setting up pilots to get into trouble. I don't believe any violation occurred, but this might serve to warn other pilots about the wording and perhaps save them some trouble.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GRUMMAN AA5 PLT INADVERTENTLY PENETRATED TFR AIRSPACE DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE NOTAM DESCRIBING THE RESTR PROVISIONS.

Narrative: VFR FLT FROM BDR TO 2N8 VIA CLASS B. CONTACTED NEW YORK APCH FOR CLRNC. CLRED INTO BRAVO. FLT PATH WOULD HAVE SUPPOSEDLY RUN AFOUL OF TFR ESTABLISHED AROUND GND ZERO IN LOWER MANHATTAN. THE NOTAM IS WRITTEN 'ACFT FLT OPS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN A 2 NM RADIUS OF 404244.16N/740047.30W AND THE LGA VOR/DME 250 DEG RADIAL AT 8 NM AT AND BELOW 8000 FT AGL, UNLESS AUTH BY ATC,' ETC. THE WAY THIS NOTAM WAS DESCRIBED TO ME BY AN FSS BRIEFER, IF I WAS UNDER POS CTL (AS I WAS BY BEING AT 1500 FT AGL AND ON WITH LGA TWR), THAT I WOULD BE AUTH BY ATC TO PASS THROUGH THE TFR 'UNLESS AUTH BY ATC.' THEY ASKED IF I HAD A WAIVER TO OPERATE IN THE TFR, TO WHICH I REPLIED 'NEGATIVE.' LGA TWR ARRANGED WITH NEWARK TO VECTOR ME AROUND THE TFR AND I CONTINUED ON MY WAY. I THINK THE WORDING 'AND' IN THE INTERP OF THIS NOTAM'ED TFR IS SETTING UP PLTS TO GET INTO TROUBLE. I DON'T BELIEVE ANY VIOLATION OCCURRED, BUT THIS MIGHT SERVE TO WARN OTHER PLTS ABOUT THE WORDING AND PERHAPS SAVE THEM SOME TROUBLE.

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.