Narrative:

During a VFR flight from torrance, ca, to merced, ca, I inadvertently entered a tfr supporting fire fighting operations near ojai, ca. I received a duat WX briefing less than 1 hour prior to the flight and specifically read the fdc NOTAM regarding tfr's along the route of flight. (There were 2 -- one associated with the lake hughes VOR, the second associated with the gorman VOR.) the altitude restr over the lake hughes area was 7000 ft MSL and below. The altitude restr over the gorman area was 10000 ft MSL and below. During the initial phases of this flight, I was in contact with socal ATC for flight following. Within 20 mi of the tfr, socal canceled flight following due to flight altitude and terrain and suggested I contact bakersfield approach. (I was initially unable to contact them due to terrain.) at that time, I thought I was above the tfr. Later I realized I mixed up the altitude restrs of lake hughes (7000 ft) and gorman (10000 ft). I was flying at 7500 ft MSL. Consequently, I passed through the tfr due to this misunderstanding. I discovered my error after being intercepted by a forest service aircraft. (I monitored 121.5 but there were no communications). I immediately departed the area by the most direct route. This was entirely my error but I believe it could have been mitigated if the last socal controller had informed me that I was headed for a tfr. I normally fly this route when traveling into the central valley because it is rarely traveled by other aircraft. The alternate is along highway 5, which is heavily traveled. I have always considered my route safer. The decisions I made were based on this belief. I cannot explain the mix-up in restr altitudes other than maybe the use of graphics instead of text would have been easier to understand during the WX briefing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH 2 TFR'S ALONG HIS RTE WITH 2 DIFFERENT UPPER LIMITS, A GA PLT CONFUSES THE TWO AND HAS AN UNAUTH ENTRY.

Narrative: DURING A VFR FLT FROM TORRANCE, CA, TO MERCED, CA, I INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A TFR SUPPORTING FIRE FIGHTING OPS NEAR OJAI, CA. I RECEIVED A DUAT WX BRIEFING LESS THAN 1 HR PRIOR TO THE FLT AND SPECIFICALLY READ THE FDC NOTAM REGARDING TFR'S ALONG THE RTE OF FLT. (THERE WERE 2 -- ONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAKE HUGHES VOR, THE SECOND ASSOCIATED WITH THE GORMAN VOR.) THE ALT RESTR OVER THE LAKE HUGHES AREA WAS 7000 FT MSL AND BELOW. THE ALT RESTR OVER THE GORMAN AREA WAS 10000 FT MSL AND BELOW. DURING THE INITIAL PHASES OF THIS FLT, I WAS IN CONTACT WITH SOCAL ATC FOR FLT FOLLOWING. WITHIN 20 MI OF THE TFR, SOCAL CANCELED FLT FOLLOWING DUE TO FLT ALT AND TERRAIN AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT BAKERSFIELD APCH. (I WAS INITIALLY UNABLE TO CONTACT THEM DUE TO TERRAIN.) AT THAT TIME, I THOUGHT I WAS ABOVE THE TFR. LATER I REALIZED I MIXED UP THE ALT RESTRS OF LAKE HUGHES (7000 FT) AND GORMAN (10000 FT). I WAS FLYING AT 7500 FT MSL. CONSEQUENTLY, I PASSED THROUGH THE TFR DUE TO THIS MISUNDERSTANDING. I DISCOVERED MY ERROR AFTER BEING INTERCEPTED BY A FOREST SVC ACFT. (I MONITORED 121.5 BUT THERE WERE NO COMS). I IMMEDIATELY DEPARTED THE AREA BY THE MOST DIRECT RTE. THIS WAS ENTIRELY MY ERROR BUT I BELIEVE IT COULD HAVE BEEN MITIGATED IF THE LAST SOCAL CTLR HAD INFORMED ME THAT I WAS HEADED FOR A TFR. I NORMALLY FLY THIS RTE WHEN TRAVELING INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY BECAUSE IT IS RARELY TRAVELED BY OTHER ACFT. THE ALTERNATE IS ALONG HWY 5, WHICH IS HEAVILY TRAVELED. I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MY RTE SAFER. THE DECISIONS I MADE WERE BASED ON THIS BELIEF. I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE MIX-UP IN RESTR ALTS OTHER THAN MAYBE THE USE OF GRAPHICS INSTEAD OF TEXT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO UNDERSTAND DURING THE WX BRIEFING.

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.