Blimp inadvertently enters tfr.

Attributes
ACN	549897
Time
Date	200206
Day	Sat
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iad.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad.tracon tower : iad.tower tower : mco.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 3271 flight time type : 2953
ASRS Report	549897
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 110
ASRS Report	549898
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

06/tue/02 on a flight in a blimp, the pilots called dulles approach for clearance to enter their class B surface area from the southwest. After the initial contact with dulles approach, we were handed off to dulles tower, given a squawk code and cleared into their class B airspace to a point approximately 3 mi southeast of dulles for exposure of the blimp over the populated washington suburbs. After 15 mins we asked dulles tower for and received clearance to the east, exiting their class B airspace, with a handoff to dca tower. The initial frequency given by dulles to dca tower had no response and we returned to dulles for a different frequency. We contacted dca tower on the new frequency and were told to remain outside their class B airspace and call back in 10 mins. After approximately 5 mins, dca tower called us back for our request. We requested to continue east to the 495 beltway area west of washington. Dca tower asked if we had a waiver to enter the tfr. We replied that we did not. We then requested to continue on northwest and our request was granted. Both pilots called FSS on the morning of the flight for WX and NOTAM briefing, no mention of the washington tfr was made by FSS. We had onboard a current washington sectional, washington terminal area chart, j-aid, and current NOTAMS book. None of these pubs have a text or pictorial representation of the washington tfr. We were in positive ATC control at all times and were not informed that we were about to enter or had entered a tfr. We also did not believe we could violate a tfr under ATC control, and were not given a vector out if they believed we were inside. At no time did we believe we had penetrated the tfr until the following day when we received a call from washington tower. Better depiction of tfr's in pubs and by FSS along with some guidance from ATC and increased attention of tfr's in flight planning on our part could have all helped to avoid this occurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BLIMP INADVERTENTLY ENTERS TFR.

Narrative: 06/TUE/02 ON A FLT IN A BLIMP, THE PLTS CALLED DULLES APCH FOR CLRNC TO ENTER THEIR CLASS B SURFACE AREA FROM THE SW. AFTER THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH DULLES APCH, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO DULLES TWR, GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE AND CLRED INTO THEIR CLASS B AIRSPACE TO A POINT APPROX 3 MI SE OF DULLES FOR EXPOSURE OF THE BLIMP OVER THE POPULATED WASHINGTON SUBURBS. AFTER 15 MINS WE ASKED DULLES TWR FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO THE E, EXITING THEIR CLASS B AIRSPACE, WITH A HDOF TO DCA TWR. THE INITIAL FREQ GIVEN BY DULLES TO DCA TWR HAD NO RESPONSE AND WE RETURNED TO DULLES FOR A DIFFERENT FREQ. WE CONTACTED DCA TWR ON THE NEW FREQ AND WERE TOLD TO REMAIN OUTSIDE THEIR CLASS B AIRSPACE AND CALL BACK IN 10 MINS. AFTER APPROX 5 MINS, DCA TWR CALLED US BACK FOR OUR REQUEST. WE REQUESTED TO CONTINUE E TO THE 495 BELTWAY AREA W OF WASHINGTON. DCA TWR ASKED IF WE HAD A WAIVER TO ENTER THE TFR. WE REPLIED THAT WE DID NOT. WE THEN REQUESTED TO CONTINUE ON NW AND OUR REQUEST WAS GRANTED. BOTH PLTS CALLED FSS ON THE MORNING OF THE FLT FOR WX AND NOTAM BRIEFING, NO MENTION OF THE WASHINGTON TFR WAS MADE BY FSS. WE HAD ONBOARD A CURRENT WASHINGTON SECTIONAL, WASHINGTON TERMINAL AREA CHART, J-AID, AND CURRENT NOTAMS BOOK. NONE OF THESE PUBS HAVE A TEXT OR PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION OF THE WASHINGTON TFR. WE WERE IN POSITIVE ATC CTL AT ALL TIMES AND WERE NOT INFORMED THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO ENTER OR HAD ENTERED A TFR. WE ALSO DID NOT BELIEVE WE COULD VIOLATE A TFR UNDER ATC CTL, AND WERE NOT GIVEN A VECTOR OUT IF THEY BELIEVED WE WERE INSIDE. AT NO TIME DID WE BELIEVE WE HAD PENETRATED THE TFR UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM WASHINGTON TWR. BETTER DEPICTION OF TFR'S IN PUBS AND BY FSS ALONG WITH SOME GUIDANCE FROM ATC AND INCREASED ATTN OF TFR'S IN FLT PLANNING ON OUR PART COULD HAVE ALL HELPED TO AVOID THIS OCCURRENCE.

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.