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Pilot of small aircraft on VFR flight in vicinity of dma penetrates a government official tfr and is intercepted and investigated. Reporter had no knowledge of the tfr.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 593033 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200308 |
| Day | Mon |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zab.artcc |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighting Falcon F16 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| ASRS Report | 593033 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace |
| Consequence | faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : assigned or threatened penalties |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On aug/mon/03, I was returning to tucson. I was not aware of any restrs. I was squawking 1200 on my transponder and listening to 122.9 on my radio. In this area I am unable to talk to ZAB below 8000 ft. When I was at approximately 7000 ft, an F16 came up beside my plane. At first I didn't realize the F16 was there because of me. The F16 turned in front of my plane and then appeared on my left wing. It circled around me and dropped some flares. I then realized it didn't want me near mt lemon so I went north towards winkleman and circled around to marana and then to la cholla airpark. When I landed at la cholla airpark (57AZ), a gentleman from the military was on the telephone for me. He told me I had come within 20 mi of the center of the tfr. I gave him my name, address, telephone number, and address and identify of my airplane. He wanted to know why I didn't go to the air guard emergency channel so I could communicate with the F16. I told him I didn't know it couldn't reach me. I only thought the F16 wanted me to avoid the area so I turned around and headed north. I didn't know I was in a tfr. He gave me the number of the secret service, which I called immediately. The military and secret service representatives seemed satisfied with my explanation. When I arrived at my house, I was met by sheriff officers with guns drawn. They realized I was very distraught. I gave everyone I talked to the details of my flight. I have learned from this incident that I should do everything I can to ensure there are no tfr's on my route of flight.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA ON VFR FLT IN VICINITY OF DMA PENETRATES A GOV OFFICIAL TFR AND IS INTERCEPTED AND INVESTIGATED. RPTR HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE TFR.
Narrative: ON AUG/MON/03, I WAS RETURNING TO TUCSON. I WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY RESTRS. I WAS SQUAWKING 1200 ON MY XPONDER AND LISTENING TO 122.9 ON MY RADIO. IN THIS AREA I AM UNABLE TO TALK TO ZAB BELOW 8000 FT. WHEN I WAS AT APPROX 7000 FT, AN F16 CAME UP BESIDE MY PLANE. AT FIRST I DIDN'T REALIZE THE F16 WAS THERE BECAUSE OF ME. THE F16 TURNED IN FRONT OF MY PLANE AND THEN APPEARED ON MY L WING. IT CIRCLED AROUND ME AND DROPPED SOME FLARES. I THEN REALIZED IT DIDN'T WANT ME NEAR MT LEMON SO I WENT N TOWARDS WINKLEMAN AND CIRCLED AROUND TO MARANA AND THEN TO LA CHOLLA AIRPARK. WHEN I LANDED AT LA CHOLLA AIRPARK (57AZ), A GENTLEMAN FROM THE MIL WAS ON THE TELEPHONE FOR ME. HE TOLD ME I HAD COME WITHIN 20 MI OF THE CTR OF THE TFR. I GAVE HIM MY NAME, ADDRESS, TELEPHONE NUMBER, AND ADDRESS AND IDENT OF MY AIRPLANE. HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DIDN'T GO TO THE AIR GUARD EMER CHANNEL SO I COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE F16. I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T KNOW IT COULDN'T REACH ME. I ONLY THOUGHT THE F16 WANTED ME TO AVOID THE AREA SO I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED N. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS IN A TFR. HE GAVE ME THE NUMBER OF THE SECRET SVC, WHICH I CALLED IMMEDIATELY. THE MIL AND SECRET SVC REPRESENTATIVES SEEMED SATISFIED WITH MY EXPLANATION. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY HOUSE, I WAS MET BY SHERIFF OFFICERS WITH GUNS DRAWN. THEY REALIZED I WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT. I GAVE EVERYONE I TALKED TO THE DETAILS OF MY FLT. I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS INCIDENT THAT I SHOULD DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO TFR'S ON MY RTE OF FLT.
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.